Deliveroo, the UK’s fastest-growing food delivery company, is today launching a new campaign to deliver food to families in need.
Britain’s leading food delivery company will deliver surplus food, juices, healthy snacks, cereals and fresh fruit and veg to the Felix Project and FareShare, who will then distribute it to frontline charities, food banks and families.
Deliveroo has signed-up partners Co-op and Pret A Manger, as well as a number of fresh fruit and veg suppliers, such as Sheringhams, to join this effort. The company is set to work with other partners in the coming weeks and months. This builds on the company’s support of Marcus Rashford’s campaign and commitment to end child food poverty.
The first deliveries started this Monday to coincide with half-term. Deliveroo has been collecting unsold food from 11 Co-op stores in London daily and delivering it to the Felix Project. This will expand across London and to other parts of the country in the coming weeks. Felix Project is delivering this food to schools, holiday clubs, youth organisations, food banks, local charities, and COVID emergency food hubs across London.
Deliveroo is trialing a similar project with Pret A Manger, collecting freshly made, unsold sandwiches from a selection of London sites and delivering to the Felix Project.
The company has also received hundreds of thousands of donations of juices, healthy snacks and cereals, which will be distributed by Fare Share across Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England, and secured commitments from food suppliers, such as Sheringhams, to deliver fresh fruit and vegetables in the weeks and months ahead.
This is part of a long-term commitment by the company to use its delivery network and partnerships to support those in need across the UK. Deliveroo has set up a new delivery unit within the company dedicated to delivering food to vulnerable groups, as well as frontline heroes such as NHS workers.
Deliveroo, along with FareShare and Co-Op, is a member of Marcus Rashford’s Child Food Poverty Taskforce, supporting his calls for the implementation of the 3 National Food Strategy policy recommendations, including the expansion of holiday provision (food and activities) to support all children on free school meals.
Will Shu, CEO and Founder of Deliveroo, said, “At Deliveroo we want to play our part in supporting families in need and and we are committed to working with our partners to provide food to families between now and Christmas and beyond. Charities are doing incredibly important work at the moment and we’re pleased to be working with such great partners to make a contribution to support families across the UK.”
Mark Curtin, CEO of The Felix Project, said, “This half term The Felix Project will provide food for almost 25,000 meals to more than 80 half-term programmes, to help children and families over the school holidays. We are incredibly grateful to partners like Deliveroo, Pret and The Co-op for helping us to get good food to good causes at such a vital time for so many families in London.”
Kate Rodger, Food Redistribution Manager at Co-op, said, “Hunger fighting charities such as The Felix project are a lifeline for those needing support to feed their families and as we face up to the coronavirus crisis, we’re determined to do everything we can to continue getting food to those who are most vulnerable.
'We know that a barrier for many food redistributing community groups is being able to get to collect the food, so by partnering with Deliveroo on this initiative we are thrilled we can help overcome this. As a nation we must step in and provide support to the communities who most need it and we can make a huge difference when we all work together.”
Clare Clough, Pret a Manger UK Managing Director, said, “No family should ever go hungry, which is why we’re pleased to join Deliveroo in this new scheme helping to get our freshly made food to families who need it most.
'For the past 25 years the Pret Foundation has been committed to its mission of alleviating poverty, hunger and homelessness in communities local to Pret shops.
'Every day, unsold food is distributed to those who need it most and we are pleased that through our new delivery partnership with Deliveroo and the Felix Project we can extend this to even more families and vulnerable children.'
Lindsay Boswell, FareShare Chief Executive, said, 'As we navigate what will be a difficult winter for millions of vulnerable people, FareShare is continuing to do all it can to get vital food supplies onto the plates of people who need it most.
'This partnership with Deliveroo therefore comes at a crucial moment and we are grateful that with their support we will be better placed to respond to the food needs of those most in need across the country.'