Ronni Kahn AO

Ronni Kahn is a South-African born Australian social entrepreneur and founder of OzHarvest, Australia’s leading food rescue charity. She is renowned for disrupting the food waste landscape, transforming surplus food into a solution for hunger, and advocating for systemic change in food redistribution.

Her journey began as the owner of an event company, where she witnessed large volumes of edible food going to waste. Motivated to act, Ronni began delivering surplus food to local charities, leading to the founding of OzHarvest in 2004. Recognising legal barriers, she worked with pro bono lawyers to lobby for reform, resulting in the Civil Liabilities Amendment Act 2005 (NSW), enabling safe food donation—later adopted by other states.

Under Ronni’s leadership, OzHarvest expanded from a Sydney initiative to a national organisation delivering food and educational programs across Australia. The OzHarvest model has been shared globally, inspiring initiatives in New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, Vietnam, and the United Kingdom.

Always innovating, Ronni launched the world’s first free supermarket, the OzHarvest Market, and founded OzHarvest Ventures, a sustainable business generating revenue for the charity. A prominent spokesperson, she regularly appears in national media, advisory panels, and international conferences, inspiring audiences to discover their purpose and impact.

Ronni has received numerous accolades, including Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), Australian Local Hero of the Year, Boss Magazine Top 21 True Leaders, Gourmet Traveller’s Outstanding Contribution to Hospitality, and honorary doctorates from Griffith University and the University of South Australia. Her work has also been featured in the film Food Fighter and her memoir, A Re-Purposed Life (Murdoch Books, 2020).