Surplus with Purpose: ADM Cares Partners With FareShare To Help Make Food Redistribution More Cost-Effective
In 2024, ADM made an impactful donation through ADM Cares to FareShare, the UK's leading charity dedicated to fighting hunger and reducing food waste. This grant will bolster FareShare's innovative 'Surplus with Purpose Programme,' which makes redistributing surplus food more cost-effective for food businesses by covering the additional costs for UK farms and primary producers to divert their surplus food, including expenses related to harvesting, packaging, overheads, and transport to regional warehouses.
The partnership will enable FareShare to expand its efforts in rescuing surplus food and delivering it to thousands of charities and community groups across the UK, ensuring that nutritious meals reach those who need them most.
The goal of the Surplus with Purpose Programme is to source 7,500 tonnes of food annually, equating to 17.5 million meals. Last year, FareShare partnered with 49 food suppliers, with 95% of the food sourced being fresh fruits and vegetables. The programme has become a vital source of fresh produce, accounting for 70% of the total supply.
Impact of the Partnership
The partnership with ADM Cares, has helped FareShare:
• Redistribute 69 tonnes of food through the Surplus with Purpose Programme, equivalent to 165,000 meals.
• Prevent the waste of 138 tonnes of CO₂ emissions and saved 184 million litres of water.
• Reach 2,400 charities and community groups.
Additionally, enthusiastic groups of ADM volunteers have been volunteering their time to help FareShare's mission at their locations in Hull and London.
Jonathan Lane, Country Manager of ADM UK, stated, "ADM Cares is committed to increasing food security in communities by supporting hunger relief. ADM UK are pleased to partner with FareShare to help ensure surplus food does not go to waste. It was great to further support their cause by volunteering alongside colleagues to help redistribute surplus food to charities that transform it into meals for those in need."
About FareShare
FareShare is the UK's leading charity dedicated to combating hunger and reducing food waste. The organization collaborates with the food industry to identify and rescue surplus food, distributing it through regional warehouses to communities in need.
FareShare rescues good-to-eat surplus food from various sources across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. This food is transported to regional warehouses, where a dedicated team of volunteers sorts, packs, and delivers it to charities and community groups that support vulnerable individuals.
As the only UK charity providing this service on a national scale, FareShare addresses the significant issue of food waste in the food industry. This includes rescuing fresh but imperfect produce and incorrectly labeled products that would otherwise end up in landfills. The dedicated Food Team builds strong relationships with suppliers, from local farmers to national retailers, encouraging them to divert surplus food to FareShare.