Booker is leading the way for wholesale organisations by being the first to redistribute its surplus food directly to FareShare’s network of charities, community organisations and OLIO’s Food Waste Heroes.
The programme is currently live in more than 100 Booker branches and together the three organisations have redistributed more than 250,000 meals worth of food. Around two-thirds of the people who access FareShare food are children and families.
Lindsay Boswell, chief executive at FareShare, said: “We are delighted to be working with Booker to help redistribute its surplus food to our network of charities. We received wonderful feedback from the teams that took part in the trial and we’re thrilled that we’re now able to support Booker to get even more food to people in need across the country.
“Demand for FareShare food has more than doubled since the start of the pandemic, and we are delivering upwards of two million meals per week to those in need, so this food is needed now more than ever.”
Booker offers a range of food items including large catering size packs, vegetables, deli and sandwich fillings, as well as smaller packs of meats, fish and fruit.
Catherine Marston, sustainability manager at Booker said: "Over the past year we have donated the equivalent of over six million meals to local charities and good causes and this will really help us build upon this success.
“We are proud to be the only wholesaler to have achieved four Carbon Trust Standards in Carbon Emissions, Waste, Water and Zero Waste to Landfill, and are the only wholesaler to hold the Carbon Trust Standard for twelve years. We have got off to a tremendous start and the whole Booker team is looking forward rolling this out to our entire estate.”
During 2020/21, FareShare redistributed more than 55,000 tonnes of food to people at risk of hunger, which is the equivalent of nearly 132 million meals or 4 meals every second.