The Odd Bunch initiative's Ugly Potato Day event in Surrey set a new Guinness World Record on August 8, 2026. By distributing over 246,000 kg of produce to 30,000 visitors at the Cloverdale Agriplex, the event highlighted the scale of agricultural waste.
Beating Sacramento's 224,064-kg record
The scale of the distribution at the Cloverdale Agriplex was unprecedented, with a total of 246,528.61 kilograms (543,501 pounds) of fruits and vegetables handed out within a single day.. According to the report, this achievement eclipses the previous world record established on September 7, 2016, by the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, which had donated 224,064.2 kilograms.
This surge in volume reflects a growing global movement to rescue "ugly" produce—fruits and vegetables that are perfectly edible but rejected by retail chains due to aesthetic imperfections. By redirecting these items from landfills to the community, the Odd Bunch initiative has turned a supply chain failure into a civic victory.
From 12 visitors in 2022 to 30,000 attendees
The growth of Ugly Potato Day is a testament to the rapid scaling of grassroots food security efforts. Tyler Heppell, the event's founder,launched the initiative in 2022 on his family's South Surrey farm with only 12 guests; by 2026, the crowd had swelled to 30,000 people. The event's visibility was further amplified by a surprise appearance from motivational speaker Tony Robbins, who encouraged attendees to recognize the love and well-being embedded in the donated food.
This trajectory mirrors a broader trend in North American "food rescue" operations, where community-led distributions are filling gaps left by traditional food banks. The sheer volume of people attending the Cloverdale Agriplex event suggests a significant, unmet demand for affordable, fresh produce among the general population.
Heppels Potato Corp. and the 70 percent local quota
The logistics of the record-breaking day relied on a network of 25 contributing farms. As the report states, 70 percent of the produce was sourced locally, with Heppels Potato Corp.—owned by Tyler Heppell's father—providing more than 200,000 pounds of potatoes. The remaining produce was transported from farms located in Arizona to ensure the bins remained full of cabbage , carrots,and tomatoes.
Tyler Heppell used the event to advocate for the protection of British Columbia farmers, noting that his family farm has operated for a century. He emphasized that supporting local growers is critical as external imports continue to threaten the livelihoods of regional agriculturalists.
The search for a venue larger than Cloverdale Agriplex
Despite the success, the event's growth has outpaced its infrastructure. To manage the crowds and prevent chaos, the Odd Bunch initiative has required pre-registration and specific time slots for the past two years. Tyler Heppell has acknowledged that while he intends to return to Surrey next year, the event now requires a venue larger than the Cloverdale Agriplex to accommodate the increasing number of participants.
Several questions remain regarding the long-term sustainability of this model. While the source mentions that surplus food went to local food banks, it is unclear how the Odd Bunch initiative manages the massive transportation costs associated with importing produce from Arizona. Furthermore,it remains to be seen if the city of Surrey can provide a larger municipal space to support the event's expansion in 2027.
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