WORKING WITH LOCAL SUPPLIERS

We are facing a significant challenge: surplus food shortages and a rising demand for our services.

In 2022, surplus food donations from retailers decreased amid rising fuel and commodity prices, labour shortages, the war in Ukraine and the fallout from Brexit. Scarcity has intensified in recent months due to the impact of adverse weather conditions on crops here in the UK and in Europe. The surplus food system is unpredictable and insecure, and supplying a mixed variety of food types to our charity members has become more difficult.

Meanwhile, the charities we support tell us that the need in the community is growing as inflation and the Cost of Living Crisis spirals.

In 2022, we rescued 1,004 tonnes of food, but to meet current demand, an extra 320 tonnes of food is required over the course of the coming year. It’s vital that we adapt and change the way we access surplus food. We’ve invested in a Regional Food Sourcing Manager to help unlock more good quality, surplus food from local suppliers.

Last year, we sourced 34 tonnes of food from local producers and manufactures, including fruit and vegetables from Shrub, eggs from The Mac’s Farm, bottled juice from Brighton Permaculture Trust, plant-based milk from Infinity Foods and pies from Higgidy. By increasing the volume of food we source locally, we can become more resilient and provide our members with a more diverse offer.

Building strong relationships with local suppliers allows us to be more creative. Typically, suppliers donate their surplus to us’ diverting edible, in-date food that would otherwise have gone to waste. However, some of our local suppliers operate in a different way. As well as donating surplus, Higgidy manufactures extra especially for us to ensure a regular supply of products into our warehouses. In 2022, Higgidy donated over eight tonnes of food –enough for 20,000 meals!

“WE’RE EXTREMELY PROUD TO SUPPORT FARESHARE SUSSEX & SURREY. THE TEAM MAKES DONATING SO SIMPLE, AND WE ARE DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO HELP WHENEVER WE CAN. KNOWING OUR EGGS HELP SO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY MAKES US VERY PROUD OF OUR FAMILY FARM.”

SUSIE MACMILLAN, DIRECTOR, THE MAC’S FARM

THE MAC’S FARM

The Mac’s Farm is a fourth generation, organic egg farming family. For the small and dedicated team, food and environmental education is the driving force behind everything they do.

The Mac’s Farm joined forces with us in 2021 and their continued support last year helped us fight food poverty and give more people access to quality, nutritious food.

In 2022 Mac’s provided us with 1.5 tonnes of eggs, a vital source of protein for 113 of our charity members who received the eggs. The eggs from Mac’s Farm equated to almost 30% of the total eggs received into our warehouse in 2022 – highlighting how important local suppliers are in diversifying our offer to our charity partners.

We are in urgent need of more food to meet the rising demand across our region. Our new depot and production kitchen in Surrey will enable us to accept more and new types of surplus food, including manufacturing ingredients, catering packs and frozen food. If you are a producer, manufacturer, caterer, wholesaler, retailer or distributor, and can help, please contact us on 01273 671 111 or info@faresharesussexandsurrey.org.uk.

We are committed to supporting local charities and community groups to create healthy meals and provide quality fresh produce suitable for individuals to prepare on their own. The food we receive allows us to do this - we are happy to report that 52% of our incoming food was fresh fruit, vegetables and dairy products.

Last year we provided 21 of our partner charities and community groups with a freezer, helping them to prolong the life of their surplus food. We also delivered 44 cookery workshops, demonstrating how to use various and more unusual foods, alongside information about how to preserve food and make it last longer.