Aldi’s Cumbria stores are now donating surplus food directly to local charities that distribute food to vulnerable people in the area, including Barrow Foodbank and Manna House, which supports people who are homeless and vulnerably housed in the area.
The new partnerships follow on from a successful trial between the supermarket and community engagement platform, Neighbourly. Aldi has paired up ten stores across Cumbria with local good causes that are now collecting surplus food up to five days a week.
Each store is donating perishable items such as fresh fruit and veg, long life items and baked goods.
The trial began in January 2019, and following its success, was rolled out across Aldi’s entire store estate.
Last year the supermarket donated two million meals to charity and expects to increase this by 50 per cent now the trial has been extended to its 827 stores.
Fritz Walleczek, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “We’re always looking for new and creative ways to increase the amount of food we are able to donate. This partnership is enabling us to distribute even more surplus stock, while supporting a vast range of good causes, across Cumbria.
“Our aim is for fresh, healthy food to be accessible for everyone, and Neighbourly are helping us to extend this commitment beyond our affordable range of fresh products.”
Steve Butterworth, Neighbourly CEO said “We are delighted to be partnering with Aldi on this programme and to help them realise their ambition to benefit those communities local to each and every one of their stores across the UK. Food surplus is a challenge Aldi is committed to playing its part to address. This approach is critical to ensure surplus food finds its way easily to the good causes supporting those communities that need it most.”
Any local charities in Cumbria looking to partner up with an Aldi store should email [email protected] to apply.
Aldi has not sent any waste to landfill since 2014, and has also pledged to reduce operational food waste by 50% by 2030 as part of the Friends of Champions 12.3 network.
Aldi has worked with Fareshare and Company Shop since 2012 and is now also partnering with Neighbourly to explore the benefits of more direct relationships within the communities its stores serve.
