Wessanen UK donates £20k to food charity Fareshare

Healthy food company Wessanen UK has extended its support for food charity Fareshare with a £20,000 donation to provide an extra 80,000 meals for vulnerable people this winter.

The B Corp certified company, which owns healthy sustainable food brands, Clipper Teas, Kallo, Whole Earth and Mrs Crimble’s, has been donating surplus healthy food directly to Fareshare for the past five years.

Now with rising levels of food poverty since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Wessanen UK is bolstering its practical efforts with additional financial support through a new two year corporate partnership with the charity.

The combination of Wessanen UK’s direct food contributions and the latest cash donation means the firm has now supplied Fareshare with enough to provide 150,000 meals for people in need in the last 5 years.

In 2020 alone, 1422 charitable organisations in Fareshare’s network have received some of Wessanen’s donated products.

Emma Vass, Wessanen UK CEO comments: "Putting people and the planet first has always been at the heart of our business, which is why working with Fareshare has always made sense for us. When the pandemic hit, we increased our food donations, giving an extra £65,000 of surplus stock to help feed vulnerable people.

"Seeing the devastating impact the pandemic has had on people living on the poverty line, we wanted to support Fareshare to continue doing good and are delighted to have them as our charity partner.

FareShare Chief Executive Lindsay Boswell, said: "Wessanen has been a longstanding partner of FareShare for many years. We are so grateful for their generous support which will enable us to deliver vital food supplies to those communities hardest hit by the pandemic.

"One organisation which is already benefitting from Wessanen's donations is Family Action, whose FOOD Clubs support approximately 450 families in and around Bristol, Bath and Somerset.

"In partnering with FareShare South West, Family Action is able to provide high quality weekly food to support those families in need.

Lucy of Family Action said: "The addition of Wessanen UK products has definitely enhanced the offering that we are able to provide for our members. The Kallo rice cakes are always well received and provide a healthy choice for our families who tell us that their young children really enjoy them.

"Tea is always popular and the addition of a recognised quality brand like Clipper to the weekly food choices, is massively appreciated.

"Our families benefit from having quality brands in their weekly food, it contributes to the feeling that they are being treated with care and compassion and it helps to raise their self-esteem.

"On behalf of Family Action, FOOD Clubs and our members, I would like to thank Wessanen UK for their generous donations and their commitment in supporting people and planet.

"The new partnership is well aligned with Wessanen UK’s B Corp commitments to drive positive environmental and societal change. In addition to feeding people in need, the food donations also minimise the company’s food waste.

Last year the company reduced its food waste by a further 30%, taking it to just 0.3% – the lowest year on record for the business.