A family-run foodservice wholesaler has been awarded a £1.25m contract to provide food and drink supplies for the most vulnerable in its local community
Lynas Foodservice, based in Northern Ireland, has been awarded the contract, worth £1.25m, by the Department for Communities to provide essential weekly supplies for those in need as strict lockdown measures continue into 2021.
Lynas, which is the largest family-owned foodservice company in Ireland, was awarded the contract after a formal tender process. The wholesaler was able to draw on its experience in April 2020 when it worked with the Department for Communities to deliver 12,000 food boxes each week for those shielding from Covid-19.
The new contract, which will run for two months until the end of March, will see Lynas delivering 50 different household essentials each week to be picked and packed by organisations and community groups to suit the needs of the recipients.
“We’re a third generation family business that is rooted to the local community,” said Andrew Lynas, MD. “We’re delighted that we can play our part in delivering much-needed help and support to those who need it at a time when it’s needed most.
“Delivering food boxes last year really made a difference to those who received them and we’re all thrilled that we can play such a key role in supporting the local community once more.”
Since lockdown measures were first introduced in March 2020, Lynas has continued trading, fulfilling orders to schools, care homes, hospitals and other customers, which represented just 15% of sales.
“It’s great to see wholesalers like Lynas Foodservice helping the most vulnerable in their communities, especially at a time when so many of their regular customers are closed, and they are facing severe financial pressure themselves,” said James Bielby, Chief Executive, FWD. “Food wholesalers have had a raw deal from the UK Government in the last year, and initiatives like this demonstrate just how valuable they are to communities, small food and drink businesses, and the economy.”
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