FareShare is the UK’s biggest charity fighting hunger and food waste, receiving donations of good-to-eat surplus food from across the food industry, sorting it in regional warehouses and passing it onto a network of nearly 9,500 charities and community groups throughout the nation. These include food banks and pantries, hostels, refuges, community centres, older people’s lunch clubs, school clubs and hospices.
In 2022, the nonprofit played an essential role in softening the impact of spiralling food costs for thousands of families in need, redistributing food equivalent to 126 million meals – that’s almost four meals every second.
With the cost-of-living crisis still raging unabated, FareShare’s services are still urgently in demand.
It makes business sense
The partnership forms one strand of Baker & Baker’s approach to deliver sustainable business initiatives across its manufacturing operations.
Food waste reduction programmes are a critical component of reducing the company’s impact on the environment, especially as it moves towards a zero carbon footprint.
“Food waste can sometimes be unavoidable, including surplus stock that remains perfectly safe to eat,” said John Lindsay, Baker & Baker CEO.
“In these instances, the responsible course of action is to ensure organisations such as FareShare can redistribute products to those most in need.
“FareShare and their network undertake some fantastic initiatives in communities throughout the country, and as such, we believe they are the perfect partner for Baker & Baker.”
No good food should go to waste
The agreement with FareShare follows a successful trial of bakery products that Baker & Baker donated in 2022 from its Bradford site, with over four tonnes of products supporting almost 550 UK charities.
Future donations will include viable products from all four of its UK manufacturing sites – Bromborough, Ashington, Bradford and Daventry – to be redirected to charities and community groups wherever possible.
“The cost of living crisis has had a disproportionate impact on people struggling to make ends meet, and we are so appreciative to work with companies like Baker & Baker that share our vision that no good food should go to waste,” added Lucy Allison, head of Food Industry at FareShare.
“We look forward to seeing this partnership flourish.”
Baker & Baker is also exploring potential partners to support food redistribution efforts at its continental European sites.
