Our Work in Action

Repacking for repurpose

Much of the surplus food that Eggcup receives comes in catering sized packs and portions. In order to make sure that they are able to use anything that may come through the door, Eggcup created a food-safe prepping and packing area within their depot. Their volunteers re-pack things like eggs and flour, chop and bag vegetables with an industrial food processor and make soups in a giant boiler pan.

This approach allowed Eggcup to use a huge glut of winter vegetables after Christmas, turning unwanted parsnips and sprouts (amongst other veg) into a range of delicious soups for their members to enjoy.

A premier league food response

As part of its COVID-19 response, His Church redistributed over half a million meals in conjunction with Arsenal Football Club, supporting emergency food outreaches of Islington, Camden and Hackney Councils. The project also ensured NHS staff were rehydrated by providing drinks to front line workers at risk of dehydrating. The ongoing project has engaged a range of partners including manufacturers and retailers, local Councils, local charities, The Arsenal Foundation, Arsenal in the Community, Arsenal FC Directors, management, players and supporters.

Arsenal FC Manager, Mikel Arteta wrote to His Church President Trevor Cockings MBE to express his gratitude saying: “Our partnership at this difficult time has been able to feed over 500,000 people, this is a significant undertaking and one that should never be underestimated. I thank you for the vital role you played in allowing us to support our community when they needed us most”.

A ready meal revolution

The Bread and Butter Thing and Open Kitchen MCR have teamed up to harness the latest in catering tech to create healthy, hearty ready-meals from surplus. TBBT provides the food; Open Kitchen MCR bring its catering prowess and new vacuum packing capabilities from Sous Vide.

In using vacuum packing these fresh chilled meals remain safe to reheat at home for 7 days, so families can use them when it's convenient, rather than on a short 'Use By' deadline, so there’s less food waste at home too.

The surplus food available changes week by week, meaning the menu of ready meals from Open Kitchen MCR is wide and varied but all the meals are one-pot-wonders, making it really easy for families to heat up and serve, combining the principles of healthy, home cooked food with convenience.

Surplus food to fuel London 

City Harvest has worked with and delivered free food to six FoodCycle locations for many years, enabling the charity to support hundreds of people that are in need of food including those that are homeless, elderly, refugees, low income families and those struggling with varying health conditions.

Prior to the first lockdown, FoodCycle Finsbury Park was making 70 meals for its weekly community lunch. Covid-19 meant this rapidly changed to 60 food parcels which were fuelled by City Harvest surplus. Rising demand was met with rising donations during the toughest weeks, but London feeding London remains a formidable ethos as City Harvest continues to deliver quality food to FoodCycle partners. 

Bending with the COVID wind, many of City Harvest partners have repurposed and it has excelled in collaborating with head chefs and kitchens, distributing food parcels from partners such as Crystal Palace FC, Wimbledon, The Savoy and many landmark hospitality partners wanting to help feed London.

‘Everyone In’ at Blackpool Food Bank

When the pandemic hit, a huge number of people who were street homeless needed to be housed in B&B accommodation. Together with its partners BFB organised a professional kitchen, menu planning, chefs, support volunteers and transportation. Within 3 days it was serving 3 hot meals per day to all of the people who were sleeping rough in Blackpool, serving over 30,000 meals to that community alone in Lockdown 1.

Making food work in Sheffield

Food Works has partnered with a local young people’s charity to create ready meals to serve people in need across Sheffield from NHS workers and those who are isolating to family struggling financially.

Endeavour’s teaching kitchen currently home to a host of furloughed chefs and Food Works staff cooking up a daily storm to deliver hundreds of meals across the city from surplus that would have supported Food Works’ café, catering and events operation, all suspended during the pandemic.

Now Food Works can continue its vital work through this dynamic and innovative partnership operation.

"Across the UK we waste almost 10 million tonnes of food each year but by working together we can use our common goals of environmental and social change to transform our impact on the UK's culture of food surplus. During the last three years we have already seen a 180% increase in food surplus redistribution through charities alone but the latest figures suggest another 200,000 tonnes could be added to that."

Mary McGrath, CEO, FoodCycle

"By collaborating we hope to develop new standards for the industry, explore best working practices and connect with food producers and sellers to ensure that every family has access to healthy, nutritious food."

Rene Meijer, Food Works