Waste or Opportunity? The Hidden Economy of Food

We sit down with Anas Amdan and Shahrizal Denci, co-founders of Bantu Tani Sdn Bhd, to explore how Malaysia’s food waste crisis isn’t just an environmental problem but also an economic one.

Every day, Malaysia discards around 17,000 tonnes of food, almost half of which is still edible. Behind that number lies a hidden cost for SMEs, especially in agriculture and food retail, where waste isn’t waste until someone fails to extract value from it. For entrepreneurs like Anas and Shahrizal, the challenge isn’t just about saving food, it’s about redesigning systems so surplus becomes opportunity.

From logistics bottlenecks to shifting consumer mindsets, we discuss how Bantu Tani is building a business model around redistribution, recovery, and revaluation as well as what it would take to make food waste reduction a legitimate part of Malaysia’s food security strategy rather than a side campaign.

From Budget 2026 incentives to cultural barriers, it’s a conversation about turning what we throw away into an engine for resilience, sustainability, and growth.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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