As a food wholesaler, we know that much responsibility lies with us to ensure that our impact on the environment is as minimal as possible, and the prevention of food waste through efficient systems is of the utmost importance. We have implemented our own food waste hierarchy, which ensures that we achieve 100% zero waste to landfill.
Prevention and reduction – Our experienced team are efficient in stock control and management to ensure that we minimise our waste. This can be tricky in wholesale, ensuring that we have enough stock to fulfil orders for customers, while ensuring that we do not end up with a surplus.
Redistribution – Re-introduction to the human food chain. We redistribute as much surplus food as possible through the different avenues to reach different consumers. The food surplus arises due to stock being too short dated to be able to sell to our customers. Any stock which is after its best-before date is still safe to eat but is past its optimal quality.
We work with two charities based locally to us, in Maidstone. Donated surplus stock is distributed by these charities to homeless people in Maidstone. Through Maidstone Council, food is donated to the homeless living on the streets and to people in temporary accommodation. We also donate food to Time for the Homeless, who run entirely voluntary soup kitchens across Medway and Maidstone, as well as distributing essential food parcels. http://www.timeforthehomeless.co.uk/
We have partnered with Too Good To Go, an app which connects us directly to the consumer. Our warehouse team make up magic bags with a lucky dip of surplus stock which are then sold through the app at a third of the price and collected by individuals. In the past this has included meats, cheeses, olives, mayonnaises, drinks, sauces and meringues. https://share.toogoodtogo.com/store/365881s/collaboration?locale=en-GB
Surplus meat and cheese from our in-house production department arises as off-cuts. This is re-packaged by the team and is also sold through the TGTG app. This ensures that we now have zero edible food to waste.
Recovery – All food waste from damages or products past their use-by date are sent to anaerobic digestion and used to generate electricity and heat.
Disposal – We ensure 100% zero food waste to landfill.
