Join the fight against food poverty
We’ve been supporting local communities on the issues that matter most for over a century – it’s part of what we do. One particularly important issue many people are facing, especially in recent times, is food poverty.
Our partnership with FareShare
FareShare is the UK's biggest charity tackling food waste to support social good. They take good-to-eat surplus food from across the food industry, sort it in their regional warehouses across the UK, and pass it onto a network of over 8,000 charities and community groups. These include school clubs, community centres and pantries, hostels, refuges, older people's lunch clubs, and hospices. Three quarters of the organisations they support provide food to support children and families.
During the last financial year, 2023-24, FareShare redistributed the equivalent of over 134 million meals - four meals every second. The 56,000 tonnes of food they redistributed stopped 100,000 tonnes of COe2 going to waste.
This is why our NFU Mutual Charitable Trust – which exists to promote and support charities working in agriculture, rural development and insurance – is proud to support FareShare’s fight against food poverty. Since 2021, the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust has donated a total of £350,000 to the charity.
FareShare will be using their donation of £50,000 from the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust in 2024 to support their work to ensure good-to-eat, surplus food goes to people, not to waste.
Polly Bianchi, Chief Income & Engagement Officer at FareShare, says: “FareShare is delighted to have the support of the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust again in 2024/25. Millions of tonnes of edible food are wasted at UK farms every year, while one in six people, including 3 million children, struggle to afford enough food. For many, food is about more than nourishment - it’s about building connections and community. The charities we support turn surplus food into meals, and use food as a gateway to other vital support services to help people thrive, not just survive. The Trust's funding of £50,000 will directly cover the cost of rescuing 250,000 meals worth of edible food from farms across the UK and transporting it to communities that need it most, including our 406 Member Charities in rural constituencies. Thank you for your generous support!”
How businesses across the food supply chain are donating their surplus for good
Farmers, growers, food manufacturers and retailers throughout the UK are also doing their bit to help. They can participate through FareShare’s Surplus with Purpose scheme, which helps businesses to cover the extra costs of redistributing their unsold food to people who need it most.
The Surplus with Purpose scheme avoids thousands of tonnes of surplus fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and dairy products being wasted. Even cupboard items and chilled and frozen foods find a new home as part of the scheme.
Two of those businesses who are donating their surplus produce are Cranswick Continental Foods, based in Bury, and Puffin Produce, the largest supplier of Welsh produce in Wales. Cranswick started accessing the ‘Surplus with Purpose’ scheme in April 2022, redistributing a selection of foods including salami, prosciutto, cheese and pepperoni. Within the space of two years Cranswick had helped supply the equivalent of more than 800,000 meals.
Adam Bower, Head of Sustainability & ESG at Cranswick plc, said: “By ensuring surplus food reaches those in need, it promotes sustainability, improves health outcomes, and strengthens social bonds through collaborative efforts. Ultimately, it embodies our commitment to creating a more equitable and resilient society for all.”
Puffin Produce (the home of Welsh produce brand ‘Blas y Tir’, and ‘Root Zero’ the UK’s first Carbon Neutral potato), started working with FareShare in 2020, providing surplus potatoes and leeks, and was recognised by FareShare as a Leading Food Partner back in 2022. Since partnering with Fareshare, their donations have helped create two million meals for people in need across Wales. Matthew Thomas, Head of Sales and Marketing at Puffin Produce, said: “Reducing food waste is integral to us and if we can do this while helping charities across the UK, this is perfect synergy. FareShare helps so many vulnerable people and communities, it’s a fabulous organisation to support. If your food supply business has any surplus produce you would normally throw away, we’d urge you to think about how this product can be redistributed to help others and reduce waste.”
Join over 700 other food businesses fight food poverty
Diverting your surplus food to frontline charities is easier than you think. FareShare can arrange collection and cover cost of transporting surplus food for redistribution. What’s more, FareShare can help your business identify surplus food that could be redirected to charities. Your business could be eligible for funding to help you reduce your food waste. FareShare’s ‘surplus with purpose’ fund contributes to the cost of harvest, sorting or packing surplus food.
To find out more about FareShare’s Surplus with Purpose scheme, and how you can participate, visit: Give food - FareShare.
Supporting our communities is just one of the ways we deliver against our ambition of Protecting Rural Lives and Livelihoods. To learn more about our strategy and actions, explore our latest Responsible Business Report.