Taking good food further 2022 REPORT
Food Connect aims to
Food Connect Food Connect is a professional food redistribution service developed and delivered by Hubbub, that uses zero-emissions vehicles. Food Connect tackles the ‘final mile*’ challenge by delivering good quality surplus food for community groups to share.
Improve the quantity and quality of food collected that can be shared
1 Improve surplus food redistribution for retailers and communities
Develop a cost-effective and efficient model that creates fair, green jobs
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Help address challenges for community groups caused by the rising cost of living and increased demand for their services
*Final mile is the last step of a product’s journey
5 Improve air quality
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Food Connect in numbers 434 20 12
1,033,770
meals
tonnes of food collected in total since 2020 launch
tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions saved (transport) community organisations benefiting from surplus food
12
green jobs created
3
e-cargo bikes
2
electric vans
2
locations: Milton Keynes and Southwark
Why Food Connect? Despite significant progress on reducing waste across sectors over recent years, WRAP estimates that a vast quantity of surplus remains in the UK food system. The last or final mile is the most inefficient in redistribution. Food at this stage is close to the end of its life and redistribution often depends on collections by small voluntary organisations. Since 2016 Hubbub has supported over 300 groups to open a Community Fridge and join the Community Fridge Network. Hubbub and Co-op have developed a successful partnership which aims to fund 500 community fridges by 2023. With more established outlets and the growing need for sharing surplus food, this is an important and exciting time for Food Connect. 3
How does Food Connect work?
Food Connect consolidates surplus food available via Foodiverse, Neighbourly, Caboodle and directly from retailers to a single account, on behalf of local community groups.
The team plans a route based on food available on a given day and a knowledgeable, professional courier collects at the appointed time.
Local groups receive an equitable share of available food.
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Benefits for businesses • Food Connect offers a single point of contact for donations. • Couriers are equipped to take the food away quickly, whatever the quantity. • The team is trained in manual handling and food safety and offer great customer service. • We can provide data for sustainability reporting, and rich stories of how surplus is used in the community.
“Food Connect pick up almost daily from our store and have become part of our team at work, they are amazing and have simplified the process of giving unsold food to those who need it” Lynsey Marriott – Community Champion Morrisons 2022
“Food Connect has consistently maintained collection compliance at around 90% across all scheduled slots with Tesco and Waitrose, an outstanding achievement... I am genuinely proud of the work we do together” Eileen Cannon FareShare Go Community Coordinator
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Retailers
Who can share through Food Connect?
Redistribution depots
Manufacturers
Small producers
Hospitality
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Community impact Food hubs are less reliant on volunteers and have fewer volunteer expenses. Scores of weekly trips previously made by volunteers on foot, by taxi and in private cars have been replaced with routes planned for maximum efficiency. Greater mix of healthy food to share, including fresh fruit and veg.
Food Connect (Southwark and Milton Keynes) help over 1250 households to access quality food every week. Community groups able focus on their activities and visitors. Provides fresh food for a range of community initiatives such as cooking classes, social cafes and lunch clubs.
Fewer donations of unmanageable quantities of single items.
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Community stories Community groups are facing new challenges now their doors are reopening after the pandemic. The cost-of-living crisis, rising cost of fuel and changes to communities have further increased the challenges for their visitors, volunteers and staff. Rather than collecting food, staff and volunteers are able to spend more time with visitors and the food collected is helping with new projects.... Albrighton Community Centre are now able to welcome back and set up new projects at their community centre including support for Ukraine refugees settling in locally. Great Linford Community Hub are now able to extend their services to provide a regular café and library. This helps signpost local people to other vital services. The team run a new food project to help staff, patients and the families at Willen Hospice to access quality food on a regular basis.
“Having the e-van, a regular team of professional couriers and the food delivered has taken away a huge headache for me” Jackie Mustoe - Albrighton Community Centre Manager
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Community stories Woughton Community Council are able to help their youth team to access vital food for their clients’ families and offer hot food to their parish residents twice a week. The Old Bath House and Community Centre are now able to share volunteers’ skills to run regular basic cooking skills classes, a monthly repair café and pop-up surplus cafe.
Food Connect received recognition at the Global Good Awards in 2021 and has been awarded Circular Food Pioneer Project Status in 2022.
“Saturday fridge at BLC was a massive success... loads of new faces. I could not have done it without Dave (Food Connect Courier)... he was brilliant in helping me get off to a good start!” Leigha Britnell – Big Local Conniburrow 2021
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Summary findings The service has provided:
A simpler donation experience for food businesses
A significant rise in the quantity and quality of food collected
An efficient model that guarantees surplus goes to human consumption
What’s next? Learnings from our Southwark pilot provide an opportunity to explore expansion to further locations in London with a focus to introduce more bike services to the city. We welcome conversations from prospective partners and funders to help extend the service in London.
“The “last mile” is always challenging, to see reductions in both food waste and emissions (due to the electric vehicles used) really is a double win!” Lee Porter, FareShare
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Thanks to our current funders Mayor of London, Southwark Borough Council, MK Community Foundation, L&Q Foundation, Bosch, NT: Together for our Planet, EQ Foundation, the staff at Mercedes Finance MK, The Arnold Clarke Fund and our crowdfunders via The Big Green Give. All food partners that have shared surplus food. The Old Bath House Community Centre in Wolverton and Albrighton Community Centre in Southwark for hosting the service. Jackie, Steve, Dennis, Franck, Peter, James, Sarah, Andrew, Hel, Sian, Dave, Ritchie, Steve, Mark, Richard and Gavin who work tirelessly to make Food Connect a success where they live. They are our true food waste warriors!
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Thank you HELEN@HUBBUB.ORG.UK
Registered Charity Number 1158700