Fresh Direct, the UK’s leading foodservice fresh produce provider, has donated the equivalent of more than two million meals to those most in need, reaching the milestone as it celebrates its fifth anniversary of working with food redistribution charity, FareShare.
Since launching the partnership in 2018, Fresh Direct and FareShare, which is the UK’s largest charity fighting hunger and food waste, have saved around 850 tonnes of food that would have otherwise gone to waste, supporting Sysco’s purpose, which is?Connecting the world to share food and care for one another.
Alongside other Sysco initiatives including Meals & More, the charity founded by Brakes to end holiday hunger, food donations through FareShare feed into Sysco’s overall Global Good Goal against which 16 million meals were donated in 2022.
The two organisations have worked together to meet the unique challenges posed by the short shelf-life fresh supply chain, allowing fresh, nutritious food to be supplied to those in most need, including low-income families, homeless shelters and community groups through a network of almost 8,500 charities and organisations nationwide.
Alongside other Sysco GB companies, Fresh Direct has dedicated teams to ensure that surplus food does not go to waste, by maintaining careful oversight of the lifecycle of its stock and working with charities including FareShare to redistribute food. The teams also support their customers by providing them with hints and tips to reduce their own waste.
The partnership between FareShare and Sysco’s operating companies in Great Britain has grown since Brakes first started working with the charity in 2010. Since then, Sysco GB companies have provided the equivalent of more than 11 million meals.
Stuart Smith, Merchandising Director, Sysco GB, said: “We wholeheartedly agree with FareShare that no good food should go to waste, and continue to focus on minimising surplus wherever possible. We’re proud to partner with FareShare and reach this significant milestone of sharing more than two million meals from Fresh Direct taking our total across the business to the equivalent of more than 11 million meals.
“Everyone has an interest in cutting food waste, so as well as our own efforts, we will continue to provide support to customers including ideas and inspiration to help them reduce their surplus food.”
Lucy Allison, head of Food Industry at FareShare added: “We’re incredibly grateful to the support from Fresh Direct in helping us get 2 million meals worth of good-to-eat surplus food to people. With 13.3 million people, including 4 million children, worried about where their next meal is coming from, the support from Sysco GB is needed more than ever to help people most impacted by the cost of living crisis.”
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