Singaporeans thank foreign TikToker for featuring shop that sells discounted items to fight food waste

SINGAPORE: It’s very hard to resist a video on TikTok that begins with “I have just found the coolest place.”

However, that’s exactly how personal trainer and nutrition coach Rory Tufano opened a recent video that featured MoNo SG, a shop in Tekka Place that fights food waste by selling items that are close to their sell-by date, at a substantial discount.

“This is awesome because food waste is a problem everywhere,” he said.

@tufanorory

@MoNo Foods is a unique concept in Singapore that aims to fight food waste through education and by redistributing surplus stock. What does that mean for you? You can grab a bunch of pantry staples that’ll make cooking healthier food at home easier for ROCK BOTTOM prices. Find them at: 📍Claymore Connect 📍Tekka Place foodwaste sustainability reuserecycle

♬ original sound – rootfitnesspt – tufanorory

The TikToker took viewers around the store, explaining how the concept works and showing what’s available — “from noodles, cereals, crisps, sweets, and even toiletries.”

He noted that people don’t often talk about the economic barriers to eating more healthfully, and places such as MoNo SG allow people to have pantry staples that cost much less than they normally would.

“This is a very atypical enterprise in Singapore, and we should support it,” he added, inviting people to come over and give the shop a look for themselves.

It is important to note that MoNo SG, which began in 2022, is regulated by the Singapore Food Agency and funded, in part, by grants from the National Youth Council.

“@MoNo Foods is a unique concept in Singapore that aims to fight food waste through education and by redistributing surplus stock.

What does that mean for you? You can grab a bunch of pantry staples that’ll make cooking healthier food at home easier for ROCK BOTTOM prices,” noted Mr Tufano.

While MoNo SG has been featured in a number of media outlets across Singapore, many still haven’t heard of it, and those who did so for the first time through Mr Tufano’s TikTok thanked him for spreading the good word about the company, what it does, and how consumers can benefit from it as well.

“Cool how a non-local talks about local initiatives while a local like myself doesn’t even know about this! Thanks for [the] info,” wrote one commenter.

Mr Tufano responded to this by saying that it had been a friend who lives in Malaysia who told him about the shop.

“As a local, I didn’t even know this shop existed. Thanks for the info!” added another.

One suggested getting on their Telegram group to keep abreast of MoNo SG’s latest stocks and other announcements.

“That’s awesome. Never knew this existed. Thanks for sharing. Will definitely go now,” another chimed in.

The company thanked Mr Tufaro as well, writing, “Hi there, thank you so much for your support! Grateful that you are spreading the message with your platform. Hope to see you again soon!” /TISG

Read also: Turning excess into impact: How Ramadan bazaar traders in Penang are fighting food waste and feeding communities