Asda expands partnership with food redistribution charities

The partnership will ensure surplus food can be collected from 209 Asda stores when local charity support may not be available.

Fareshare local food charities will still be prioritised for donations, with plans to double the amount of surplus food redistributed by the retailer. The redistributor will also connect Olio’s ‘food waste heroes’ with their local Asda stores, who in turn share the food with their community free of charge.

Asda’s new partnership with Olio will see more than 680 donation slots added to its back of store donation scheme over the coming weeks, providing a much-needed avenue for redistributing surplus to areas where charities aren’t available to collect.

‘Redistribution remains a priority’

Kris Comerford, Asda chief commercial officer for food, said: “Redistributing surplus food continues to be a priority for our business and we are proud to be continuing the progress we’ve made to date. ​

“Increasing the number of donation opportunities and how we work with charity partners means we can provide even more support to local communities – while at the same time reducing food waste”​

Asda’s marked 10 years in partnership with FareShare last November, during which the retailer has provided 16,000 tonnes of surplus food from its stores and depots, the equivalent of over 38 million meals. This food has since been redistributed by FareShare to their network of over 8,500 charities and community groups in the process.

Continued access to surplus

Katie Sadler, head of FareShare Go, added: “We’re incredibly grateful to Asda for supporting our mission to ensure no good food goes to waste. This partnership will continue to ensure charities continue to have access to food throughout the week and, where they aren’t available, Olio’s Food​ Waste Heroes can step in to collect unsold surplus instead of letting it go to waste. ​

The partnership with FareShare and Olio will be across superstores and supermarkets, with a separate programme to be trialled for Asda’s Express convenience sites.

Saasha Celestial One, Olio's co-founder and chief operating officer, concluded: “We feel incredibly proud to be working with another retailer that's making meaningful commitments to fighting food waste and feeding communities – especially at a time when so many in this country are struggling to feed themselves and their families.