Branston has donated the equivalent of two million meals to FareShare UK in partnership with Tesco, demonstrating a strong commitment to addressing food poverty across the nation.
Since becoming a supporter of FareShare UK in 2017, Branston has consistently supplied the charity with potatoes that are transformed into nutritious meals for nearly 8,500 services across the country, including lunch clubs, homeless shelters, and community cafes, according to a company press release.
FareShare collects surplus food from the food industry and distributes it to independent organizations dedicated to fighting hunger and food insecurity. The surplus provided by Branston amounts to an impressive 840 tonnes of potatoes.
“We’re always looking to find ways to minimize waste from our farms and factories whilst maximizing crop utilization,” says Mark Willcox, Agronomy Director at Branston. “Potatoes are a nutritious and healthy side-of-plate staple that really does help feed the nation! On top of that, they’re a great British farming success story.
“Food poverty is such a challenge in this country, and the work that FareShare does to combat this is incredible. We’re pleased to be able to play a small role in this and will continue to work with our partners to redistribute surplus spuds and support in any way we can.”
With over 350,000 tonnes of potatoes handled annually, Branston is one of the leading suppliers of fresh and prepared potato products in the UK.
“We are enormously grateful to the team at Branston for reaching an incredible milestone of delivering the equivalent of two million meals to FareShare,” says Simon Millard, Director of Food at FareShare. “This good-to-eat surplus food has supported our network of charities across the UK, including after-school and breakfast clubs, hospices, domestic abuse refuges, and homelessness shelters.
“By providing FareShare with surplus food, Branston makes a huge difference to ensuring that good food goes to people in need, not waste. Their support helps to address the environmental issue of food waste while strengthening communities across the country and ensuring people in need have access to healthy diets.”
