We’ve donated 335,000 meals in support of Stop Food Waste Day

Thanks to our partnership with the food poverty charity network FareShare and our new partner, The Real Junk Food Project (TRJFP), our restaurants have donated over 140 tonnes of food, the equivalent of 335,000 meals, to those who need them most during the coronavirus pandemic.

In support of Stop Food Waste Day, donations from our restaurants have included over 173,000 eggs, 2000 packs of cheese, 3000 gammon steaks as well as other essential fresh items such as milk, tomatoes, bananas and potatoes.

Since lockdown measures began in March, FareShare has seen a 90% increase in the amount of food it’s getting out to frontline charities as well as a threefold increase in the number of charities applying to receive food.

In the last four weeks, TRJFP delivered over 800 isolation packs made up of food and other essentials to those in isolation in Wakefield and Leeds. It also provided 303 food parcels free-of-charge to NHS staff in Leeds and Wakefield as well as meals to those working in hospitals in Leeds and Wakefield through other local charities and restaurants.

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Phil Birbeck, Managing Director at Whitbread Restaurants said:
“We are extremely proud that we are able to act as a Force for Good through our partnerships with FareShare and The Real Junk Food Project, which enable us to donate food that would potentially have gone to waste. It is particularly pleasing that numerous community groups and charities will benefit in result.

“This is an extremely difficult time for everyone, but we are so pleased that something positive is able to come from this as we continue to find ways to support our teams, our guests and our suppliers in unprecedented times.”

Lindsay Boswell, FareShare Chief Executive, said:
“FareShare already provides enough food to charities to help them provide almost a million meals a week - but as the coronavirus outbreak develops, demand for our service is only going to continue rising. The past month alone has seen a record number of charities requesting to sign up, which only makes Whitbread’s support even more vital. The nutritious, fresh food supplied by Whitbread will be distributed to thousands of charities working tirelessly through this crisis to ensure those most vulnerable are not left at increased risk of hunger.”

Adam Smith, founder of The Real Junk Food Project said:
“When the lockdown was announced, vast quantities of food were stuck in the supply chain whilst supermarket shelves were stripped bare of essentials. Due to our existing networks we were able to mobilise quickly and help those who needed it most, when they needed it. We are grateful for all of the food that has been donated. The support we’ve had from Whitbread has been amazing. We are helping thousands of people across Wakefield and Leeds and will continue to do so.”

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