MORAY COMMUNITY GROUPS and charities are being called upon to support a new scheme from supermarket giants Tesco that aims to see unsold food become meals for vulnerable people in the region.
In a joint effort with FareShare, Tesco are asking local groups to register with them in their ongoing pledge to cut food waste.
Tesco’s Community Food Connection programme with FareShare FoodCloud recruits and supports charities and community groups, linking them to Tesco stores via an innovative app that allows store teams to alert them to surplus unsold food items available at the end of each day.
The store in Buckie will be involved in the programme with FareShare – unsold food is free and includes fresh produce, such as fruit, vegetables and bakery products. Chilled products like meat, dairy and ready meals are also offered.
There has been 350,000 meals donated to people in need via Community Food Connection to date, following a successful pilot in 14 stores last year and a national rollout from March this year that has seen more than 1000 charities sign up to the scheme so far.
FareShare FoodCloud is the result of a unique three-way partnership bringing the charity, social enterprise and commercial sectors together.
FareShare brings its knowledge of the UK charity food redistribution market and its experience of providing food. FoodCloud brings its knowledge of the technology and online applications needed to connect businesses with surplus food.
Tesco brings the people and technology required to deliver a reliable and well-managed programme, and is the first retailer to invest in, and roll out, FareShare FoodCloud.
Will Houldsworth, Tesco Store Director, said: “No food that can be eaten should go to waste. We’re really excited to start working on this initiative to ensure that any unsold food we have is made use of.
“We are looking forward to forging strong links with local charities and community groups in Moray, and to use this initiative to support their efforts to help vulnerable people in our community.”
FareShare FoodCloud is the latest step in Tesco’s work with FareShare on the provision of surplus food. The partnership spans over three years and includes activities which make food available from the Tesco supply chain, distribution centres and dotcom centres.
This has seen nine million meals made up of surplus food donated to over 2200 charities and community groups across the UK.
Any charities or community groups in Moray using food to support people that would like to access the scheme should register their interest by visiting www.fareshare.org.uk/fareshare-foodcloud.
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