A food industry coalition launched to tackle food poverty and reduce the environmental impact of waste has passed its original goal of providing the equivalent of 10 million meals a year, The Grocer can reveal.
The milestone comes less than two years since the launch of the Coronation Food Project, spearheaded by King Charles, and less than 12 months since it led to the announcement of the Alliance Food Sourcing initiative (AFS).
AFS is a collaborative UK food industry initiative, revealed in late 2024 by The Grocer. Its mission is to systematically reduce food waste and redistribute surplus food to charities on the frontline, operating under the IGD, FareShare and The Felix Project.
A key aim of the project is to reduce carbon emissions associated with food waste rotting in landfill.
The 10 million target was revealed when the industry first announced its food surplus pilot, with a subsequent target of 30 million meals per year by 2028, set in May.
AFS said major breakthroughs had included 2 Sisters Food Group’s collaboration on a new relabelling and repacking solutions for surplus food in its supply chain. This was expected to reach volumes of more than 500 tonnes of food per year going to food redistribution charities.
Meanwhile, it said vegetable grower Barfoots, working with packaging company Saica Flex, had quadrupled the original volumes of surplus it was providing, focused on the redistribution of a sweet potato and squash “rubble”. An average of 18 tonnes a month of edible surplus is now being redistributed from their processing product lines.
Morrisons and its manufacturing arm Myton had added a produce processing site at Thrapston in Northamptonshire, which it said could mean a doubling of its original pledge. AFS is expected to receive an average of over 22 tonnes of vegetables per month.
Nicola Robinson, AFS director, said: “Reaching this milestone is testament to our original partnes’ incredible commitment, which we’re very grateful for and all involved, ensuring that the approach is one that can fit so well in the organisation’s ways of working.
“All three of these examples provide highly nutritious and prioritised categories for our charities to redistribute to those in need.”
Robinson added that all of the major breakthroughs had been achieved without impact of the efficiency of supply chains of manufacturers.
“For example, with the Barfoots initiative, a key part of the success of this model is that it creates no disruption to business operations and runs seamlessly alongside business-as-usual once set up.
“Just under 50% of our volume is now continuous surplus and waste and c1/3 of our formalised partners are contributing to this approach in the last six months.
“We also have more progress in our pipeline from both new and existing partners alike and there will be more announcements on these in the coming months.”
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