Partnership provides 85 million meals to Australians in need

20th October 2020

Australian family-owned agribusinesses, Manildra Group and MSM Milling, have marked a unique partnership with food producers Simplot and Rinoldi, and leading Food relief organization, Foodbank Australia, resulting in 85 million meals donated to Aussies in need.

The Australian businesses have donated flour since 2004 as well as oil and sugar since 2009 to manufacturers Rinoldi and Simplot, as part of Foodbank’s vital collaborative food supply programs.

Manildra Group and MSM Milling source wheat and canola from local farmers, handle the milling and consolidation locally and help people across Australia, including in the Central West of NSW, with finished products distributed via the Foodbank network of front-line charities.

Manildra Group’s flour is donated to Rinoldi which produces pasta specifically for Foodbank to distribute across Australia. MSM Milling’s auzure canola oil and Sunshine Sugar are donated to Simplot to produce Leggo’s Napoletana Pasta Sauce.

The Manager of Manildra Flour Mill, John Brunner, says each year Manildra’s flour donation delivers five million serves of pasta to Australians experiencing all types of hardships.

“Now, more than ever the Foodbank Pasta Program is invaluable to those Australians who need it most. Australians who were struggling to get enough food before COVID-19 are now going hungry more often, with 43 per cent going a day a week without eating. As an Australian-owned family business we’re proud to step up and donate 350 tonnes of locally milled flour and 12 tonnes of sugar to this vital program to help vulnerable Australians in need. Our partnership with Foodbank is now in its 16th year, and it’s heartwarming to be part of a program that provides millions of serves of pasta for food relief activities, as well as natural disasters,” said Mr Brunner.

MSM Milling’s expeller pressed, Non-GM canola oil is a vital ingredient in the 250-thousand jars of Leggo’s Napoletana pasta sauce made for the partnership each year, delivering almost a million serves of sauce to Australians. Director Bob Mac Smith says the company is honoured to play an essential part in a program that alleviates food insecurity in local communities.

“Every year for the last 12 years MSM Milling has proudly donated thousands of litres of canola oil to this valuable program to ensure such a versatile pantry staple is made available to those who most need it. We’re a family business and the team is proud and humbled to donate oil to the program and see the difference it makes to everyday Australians, including those in our own backyard,” he said.

“This year has really highlighted the vital importance of Australian businesses supporting local farmers, manufacturers, organisations and other Australian businesses. We’re standing in the canola today which will be expeller pressed in a few weeks at our presses a stone’s throw from here. It truly is a unique partnership that highlights what can be achieved when suppliers and food manufacturers come together to collectively benefit Australian communities, from farmers, local businesses and our most vulnerable. It’s extremely humbling to be involved in this,” said Mr Mac Smith.

Foodbank National Program Manager – Agriculture, Jacqui Payne added, “We are extremely grateful for Manildra Group and MSM Milling’s dedication to our cause and ongoing involvement in our vital programs. Our Collaborative Supply Programs are a world-leading and globally unique model for food relief, and we’re delighted to have proud Australian businesses like Manildra Group and MSM Milling playing such major roles. They understand the importance of Foodbank being able to make these pantry essentials available to families from all regions and all walks of life who are doing it tough right now. Put simply, if we did not receive this support, families and individuals across Australia would be going without.”

Foodbank bracing for a further rise in hunger

 

12th OCTOBER 2020: Foodbank, Australia’s leading food relief organisation, today reported that demand for food relief is up and believes it has not yet seen ‘peak hunger’ in the COVID-19 crisis.

The organisation today published a special edition of its annual Foodbank Hunger Report which revealed that, while government assistance measures such as JobSeeker and JobKeeper have provided much needed temporary relief, charities and food insecure Australians alike have an extreme sense of unease about the future as these measures are rolled back. More than one in three (35%) food insecure Australians receiving benefits don’t know how they will cope or expect they will not cope well at all.

Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey, said this year’s report emphasises that COVID-19 is having a profound effect on the food security of Australians. “The report highlights that, while need for food relief has become somewhat erratic and unpredictable, charities are reporting that overall demand is up by 47% and many of those now experiencing food insecurity (28%) have never before needed support,” Casey explained.

People seeking assistance at least once a week have more than doubled since last year (from 15% to 31%). “Those who were already struggling before coronavirus hit have been impacted more quickly and seriously than others as they have lower resilience against life’s turbulence,” Casey commented.

“In addition, we are seeing new groups reach out for help, in particular casual workers and international students. These individuals tend to be younger, so it’s not surprising that our report shows it’s Australia’s youth who are bearing the brunt of COVID-19. They are going without food more often than any other age group with 65% of food insecure Gen Z (aged 18-25) going hungry at least once a week compared to 25% of food insecure Baby Boomers (56-74) and 25% of Builders (75+).”

Now in its eighth year, the Foodbank Hunger Report brings together research between April and August undertaken with both charities and individuals experiencing food insecurity.

Key Statistics

  • Charities are seeing overall demand up by an average of 47%.
  • The proportion of food insecure Australians seeking food relief at least once a week has more than doubled since last year, from 15% to 31%.
  • When it comes to COVID-19 causing hunger in the community, young Australians are being hit the hardest. 65% of food insecure 18 to 25-year-olds are going without food at least once a week due to the pandemic.
  • More than a quarter (28%) of those experiencing food insecure had never faced it before the pandemic.
  • Charities are seeing significant numbers of two new groups in particular: casual employees and international students.
  • 43% of food insecure Australians are going a whole day a week without eating vs 30% in 2019.
  • 61% of food secure Australians have accessed food relief since COVID-19 hit but the other 40% have not reached out for the help they need. The most common barriers to accessing relief are embarrassment (33%), shame (30%) or thinking there might be others in greater need (33%).
  • While government assistance, such as JobKeeper and JobSeeker, have provided vital temporary relief for many, 62% say they are not receiving the assistance they need.
    • 37% say they need more than they’re getting,
    • 21% are ineligible for any additional support and
    • 4% have found it too difficult to apply
    • Post-COVID-19, almost 35% of food secure Australians don’t know how they will cope or expect they won’t cope at all when the additional government support is withdrawn.

Foodbank serving up Aussie pork to people in need

1st October 2020

Amid the social and economic disruptions caused by COVID-19 in recent months, Australia’s pork industry has been working with the country’s leading food relief organisation, Foodbank Australia, to support Australians struggling to put food on the table.

In a collaboration involving the Federal Government and Australian Pork Limited (APL), Foodbank Australia’s provision of protein to members of the community in need has been boosted by weekly deliveries from several pork wholesalers across the country.

More than a quarter of Australian pork is usually consumed in foodservice outlets, so when restaurants, pubs and clubs across the country were forced to closed earlier in the year, alternative markets had to be found.

APL CEO Margo Andrae said while the rise in homemade meals increased pork sales at butchers and supermarkets, the supply chain has still been under pressure in adjusting to COVID-19 restrictions.

“Australia’s weekly pork production is very consistent,” Ms Andrae said. “Even with retail sale increases, we were looking at ways to take pressure off of our processors and wholesalers to ensure the market stayed as stable as possible and producers had some certainty.”

“We approached the Federal Government to talk about ways we could turn a challenge into a positive because while we had surplus product, there are lots of people facing food insecurity.”

Emergency relief funding made available to Foodbank by Federal Minister for Families and Social Services Anne Ruston enabled the initiative to commence.

“Wholesalers Linley Valley Pork (WA), Holco (SA), Global Meats (Vic) Mastercut Meats (NSW) and Top Cut (Qld) have been pivotal in this wonderful initiative, providing pork to Foodbank at a significant discount to ensure the funding can be stretched as far as possible,” Ms Andrae said.

“We’re proud of the role our industry is playing in providing food security for those in need, but we’re also very grateful to Foodbank because the weekly supply arrangements have given processors and wholesalers added operational certainty for their businesses and employees.

“This has helped keep employees at our plants working and helped ensure producers could be confident they had a buyer.”

“Sadly, we’ve seen market failure in the US in recent months, where major pig processors have closed for extended periods. Thousands of pigs have been euthanised on-farm and prices have fallen dramatically, yet the need to feed Americans in-need has been more critical than ever. We are very grateful that by working together, we’ve avoided that sort of devastating scenario in Australia.”

Pork provided to Foodbank has included sausages, roasts, mince and forequarter chops, totalling 23,685 kilograms of made-to-order pork products over a three-and-a-half-month period. Based on this success, APL and industry wholesalers are looking at ways to continue working with Foodbank.

Foodbank Australia National Program Manager – Agriculture, Ms Jacqui Payne, explained how significant this supply has been to the Foodbank network nationally and to food relief recipients.

“We’re so grateful to APL and all the local wholesalers who have supported Foodbank through this period. Having a regular, reliable supply of a high-demand protein product such as pork takes the ‘surprise’ out of our supply chain and goes a long way in helping us end hunger in Australia.”

Melissa Parker from Mastercut Meats said the wholesaler, which has been supplying pork for distribution in NSW and the ACT, was keen to continue supporting Foodbank.

“As a family business, we’re always looking for ways to give back to the community,” Ms Parker said.

“This has been a fantastic opportunity to support Foodbank with supplies of premium Australian pork, helping those in need during this time of crisis, and also supporting our supply chain, our employees and Australian pork producers.”

Beiersdorf announces official partnership with Foodbank Australia

Following over hundreds of thousands of product donations, Beiersdorf pledges additional support to Victoria during the current lockdown
31st August 2020

Clynton Bartholomeusz, Managing Director of Beiersdorf Australia (left), and Brianna Casey, CEO of Foodbank Australia (right), launching the partnership at Foodbank NSW & ACT

Today Beiersdorf Australia – manufacturer of NIVEA and Elastoplast products – has announced its official partnership with Foodbank Australia, the country’s largest food and grocery relief organisation.

In 2020, Beiersdorf Australia has donated hundreds of thousands of products to Foodbank Australia, locally driving its ‘Care Beyond Skin’ program. Their most recent donation, just this month, is of over 50,000 personal care items, including hand sanitisers which will be distributed to those in need in Victoria.

Clynton Bartholomeusz, Managing Director of Beiersdorf Australia said, “For nearly 140 years, we at Beiersdorf have had ‘care’ at the heart of everything we do. Our purpose, Care Beyond Skin, not only expresses our passion for skincare, but it embodies our commitment to also caring for people and communities in need. That is why we are so pleased to become an official national donor with Foodbank Australia and support the important work they do.”

This is not the first time Beiersdorf and Foodbank have joined forces. During this year’s bushfire crisis, Beiersdorf donated thousands of products including Elastoplast essentials and NIVEA sun care.

Brianna Casey, CEO of Foodbank Australia said, “We are incredibly grateful for Beiersdorf’s continual support and generous donations of skin and personal care products, and are delighted to be welcoming them as an official national donor.”

“Thank you to everyone at Beiersdorf for your ongoing commitment to Foodbank Australia which enables us to support Australians doing it tough not only now but for the long term.”

Globally, Beiersdorf has pledged 50 million Euros as an immediate international support program to help communities in their fight against COVID-19 pandemic. It will team up with international organisations as well as local authorities to bring the support to the people in need. The global immediate measures are:

  • Donation of 1,000,000 litres of disinfectant
  • Donation of at least 5,000,000 NIVEA skin and hand care products to medical staff all around the world
  • Direct financial support for NGOs, both international organisations as well as local partners of the Beiersdorf Group
  • Beiersdorf commits to double any employees’ personal donations

Unique partnership takes insecurity out of the ‘surprise’ chain

11th August 2020

Foodbank Australia’s ongoing partnership with General Mills Australia is rethinking how companies can contribute and take some of the insecurity out of the food donation ‘surprise’ supply chain.

In a model that is unique to Foodbank Australia, General Mills’ Rooty Hill plant in Western Sydney will produce on average 10,000 dedicated meals of Latina ™ Fresh ricotta and spinach agnolotti each month, for the next year, for people in need.

Foodbank Australia Chief Executive Officer, Brianna Casey, said with the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 being felt right across the country, the value of this new partnership is immeasurable.

“With one in five Australians already having faced food insecurity at some point last year, widespread unemployment and an economic recession have hit hard and fast for families everywhere. People are doing it tough right now and it’s partnerships like this Collaborative Supply Program that enable us to plan ahead and make every dollar go further.”

“General Mills are taking the proactive step to guarantee access to delicious, nutritious pasta for Australians who are struggling to put food on the table right now and for the year ahead, and we couldn’t be more grateful,” said Ms Casey.

Foodbank Australia’s General Manager – National Supply Chain, Michael Davidson, added, “This model allows us to move beyond important, but unpredictable products diverted from
landfill to a constant supply of basic essentials like this premium pasta product from General Mills.”

“We’ve seen this model operate to great success with other pantry staples and are excited to see this further extension of our partnership with General Mills come to life.”

“As a world-leader in this field, and the only foodbank globally to be driving a collaborative supply program with food and grocery industry partners, this really sets the standard for other manufacturers and foodbank organisations. It will have a tremendous impact on ensuring we can provide to those in need,” said Mr Davidson.

The program is a collaboration between Foodbank Australia, General Mills and its supply chain. While General Mills donates the time and labour to make the product, suppliers have generously donated the raw ingredients and packaging to dramatically reduce the cost.

Ferraro Dairy Foods, based in Tullamarine, is supplying the ricotta for the pasta filling. Ferraro Dairy Foods General Manager Brad Ferraro said it was important to help Foodbank during this difficult time.

“At Ferraro Dairy, we are always prepared to help families and people in whatever way we can. That’s why it’s great to be involved with this initiative and support people who are hurting in multiple ways.” said Mr Ferraro.

General Mills Australia Managing Director Peter Everett has called on industry peers to engage in similar partnerships to ensure a bigger impact on the community.

“We’ve created a template which people and companies can follow using resources and networks they already have to make an even greater difference,” Mr Everett said.

“It’s taken a huge effort from our staff putting this together and while it’s tough for our suppliers to make this donation due to COVID-19, we think it’s the perfect time to make that difference and be a force for good given the impact it will achieve at this critical time.”

“The chosen product, chilled, premium Latina™ Fresh Ricotta and Spinach Agnolotti, takes all of a family’s needs into consideration, being a great source of protein and quick and easy to make for a family meal,” said Mr Everett.

In addition to product donation, General Mills, through its Foundation, provided Foodbank Australia with a charitable grant of over AU$200,000 (US$ 150,000) to help Foodbank respond to the significant increase in community need for food staples due to the pandemic.

With COVID-19 causing new demographic groups to access food relief for the first time, it’s more important than ever to support the community.

 

Justin Dowling is Foodbank’s Hunger Hero for 2020

9th July 2020

In 2019, Woolworths increased donations to Foodbank by 50%, largely thanks to Justin Dowling, Woolworths Group’s General Manager – National Operations & Shared Services, who on Wednesday night received the 2020 Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) Foodbank Hunger Hero Award.

“It’s been a real privilege over the last few years to work closely with Foodbank and further build on the strong partnership that Woolworths and Foodbank have had together for the last 18 years,” said Justin as he accepted the award.

The Award recognises a person or team who has gone above and beyond to tackle food insecurity in Australia and Justin has done just that, fortifying the Woolworths – Foodbank partnership through food donations, transport support and team engagement.

Food Donations

With Justin leading the charge, Woolworths’ supply chain team reduced stock loss by 36% and stock to landfill by 5% and grew donations to Foodbank by massive 50% last year. It was thanks to these efforts that Woolworths became Foodbank’s biggest donor in 2019 with a total of 1.6 million kilograms of product donated.

Not only was this a great achievement in the fight against hunger in Australia, but also for Woolworths as a business, and the environment. As Justin explained, “It’s about us making sure we’re using the food and our resources in the best way we can.”

Transport

Justin’s support for Foodbank goes back many years, and in 2018 he pioneered the Foodbank – Woolworths Primary Connect initiative. This program leverages spare capacity in Woolworths’ national transport network to move essential food relief donations to where they are needed most.

As a result, Woolworths is also one of Foodbank’s biggest pro-bono transport providers, delivering more than $500,000 worth of transport support each year.

Team engagement

Justin has worked innovatively with Foodbank to further engage distribution centre (DC) team members in the donation process, without whom none of these successes would have been possible.

Bright purple Foodbank zones have been set up in DCs as collection points for donated product, serving as an eye-catching reminder to team members of the donation opportunity.

Sites now also compete to be the annual Woolworths Foodbank DC of the Year by achieving the highest donation conversion rate on the Foodbank DC League Table. This was implemented alongside strategic signage that enables each site to track their donations vs stock sent to landfill throughout the year.

 

The Foodbank team are incredibly grateful for the work Justin has done at Woolworths to champion the fight against hunger and provide food relief to Australians in need. As Justin highlights, “Our relationship is not just built on food donations and transport, it’s built on our values. We care deeply about vulnerable Australians and we are passionate about sustainability within our community.”

Michael Davidson, Foodbank Australia’s General Manager – National Supply Chain (left), and Daniel Parsons-Jones, Foodbank Victoria’s Food Donor Coordinator (right), present the AIFST Foodbank Hunger Hero Award to Justin Dowling, Woolworths Group’s General Manager – National Operations & Shared Services (centre).

 

Woolworths and Foodbank team members celebrate the new purple Foodbank Zone at the Woolworths Melbourne Distribution Centre.

Leave no one behind

Vulnerable students and migrants from Nepal living in Australia have felt the full social and economic impacts of COVID-19. With fewer resources to support themselves during the crisis, many Nepalese students experienced the anguished fear of not knowing where their next meal was coming from, until Foodbank became part of their world.

 

Amit Thapa, Founder of the Friends of Nepal Association, reached out to Foodbank, and along with the Non Resident Nepali Association, more than 1,000 Nepalese students in Australia were assisted with food relief, including hundreds of Foodbank hampers. Funds provided by the Federal Department of Social Services enabled Foodbank to fill the hampers with quality key staples such as instant noodles, breakfast cereal, UHT soy milk, fruit cups, tea and coffee, tinned tuna and beans, and savoury and sweet biscuits. Hampers were topped with five kilograms of rice, ensuring it would feed a person for four weeks. Packaged with love and dignity, the hampers were distributed throughout the Nepali student community across Australia, providing much-needed relief at a time when they needed it most.

PepsiCo pledges $480,000 to Foodbank Australia as part of a global initiative

April 2020, PepsiCo Australia has donated AUD$480,000 to Foodbank Australia to help combat the devastating effects of COVID-19. Globally, PepsiCo has recognised the need for meals and vital resources during this time and has pledged AUD$72 million to help those most affected by the virus.

 

On average, nearly one in five Australians face food insecurity each year. Due to the COVID-19 crisis Foodbank Australia has experienced a 50 per cent increase in the number of people needing support over the past month.

 

PepsiCo is proud to be donating AUD$480,000 to Foodbank Australia, one of the country’s largest food relief organisations, to ensure it has adequate food resources to meet the upsurge in demand, while continuing to provide nutritious meals for those who need it most. The funding will help individuals and families now and in the coming months as we see the effects of Coronavirus.

 

“We’ve seen a sudden and significant increase in the need for our services due to the impacts of COVID-19. We’ve gone from 815,000 people per month in a ‘normal’ period to over 1.2m, a frightening statistic,” says, Brianna Casey, CEO at Foodbank Australia.

“Foodbank needs to scale up urgently to respond to the unprecedented increase in the number of food insecure Australians and help them for as long as they may need it. We are incredibly grateful to our long-standing partner, PepsiCo, for the generous donation that will help us meet this growing demand and enable us to provide almost one million nutritious meals to individuals and families in-need across the country.”

 

“Food is at the heart of what PepsiCo does, and we are great admirers of the amazing work Foodbank Australia and the New Zealand Salvation Army Foodbank do within their local communities,” says, PepsiCo ANZ, CEO, Danny Celoni.

 

“We also acknowledge the unprecedented demand drought, bushfires and now COVID-19 have placed on Australian food relief organisations this year. I am proud and grateful to be in a position where we can support them during this difficult time by helping our partners bring food to those who need it most.”

 

McCain chips in and reminds us ‘we’re in this together’

April 2020, McCain Foods announced today it will donate at least 250,000 meals to food relief organisations across Australia and New Zealand over the coming months to help support communities facing food security challenges during the COVID-19 crisis.

The contribution is part of McCain’s ongoing commitment to food relief organisations, its passion for giving back to the communities that have built the business for over 50 years, and the company’s core values.  As unemployment rates across ANZ continue to increase to unprecedent highs, families are now reaching out for support – putting pressure on charities that deliver food to families in need.

The donation will be shared between charities across Australia and New Zealand including its long standing partner Foodbank Australia, but also Fareshare Victoria, Second Bite Australia, Empower Australia, 0800 Hungry and Oxford Community Trust.

McCain Foods Regional President, Louis Wolthers, said that the spike in retail demand for frozen food would be reflected in the charitable sector.

“People have been stocking up with frozen foods in preparation for lockdown, and food relief organisations are no different, in that they also need a stable supply of frozen vegetables and meals as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic escalate,” Mr.Wolthers said.

“Given the scale of the need, we’re very pleased to have the opportunity to support these reputable charities, which provide such important support to our local communities.

“Our donation includes frozen vegetables, meals, chips, pizza and some Sara Lee desserts – accounting for more than meals. This certainly makes sense for us, and it’s something our people are proud of. McCain is hoping this donation will help to remind Australians and New Zealanders of the importance of staying connected. We’re in this together, after all,” Mr. Wolthers said.

Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey said the donation will be well received amongst the many Australians it is supporting currently.

“We are so grateful for this incredibly generous donation of frozen food from McCain, one of our long- standing national donors who have supported us regularly through thick and thin. Foodbank has seen a 50 percent increase in demand for food and grocery relief due to job loss and small business closures across the country and donations such as these are critical to help vulnerable Australians now and for as long as it takes for our country to recover from the effects of COVID-19.”

The donations form part of a global response from McCain to the COVID-19 pandemic this year.

The Kids Shake partners with Foodbank

May 2020, The Kids Shake has partnered with Australia’s largest food relief organisation, Foodbank, to help feed kids in need.

 

From today, $1 from every Kids Breakfast Shake sold will be donated to Foodbank to ensure they can continue their important work in feeding Australia’s most vulnerable kids.

 

To launch the partnership with Foodbank, Belinda MacDougall, founder and CEO of The Happy Healthy Co (which includes flagship brands The Lady Shake and The Man Shake), is also making an upfront donation of $10,000, which equates to providing 20,000 meals to those in need at this difficult time.

 

As a self-made businesswoman and mother to two young daughters, Belinda is truly humbled to see this partnership come to life.

 

“This partnership is so important to me and The Kids Shake team because the thought of a child going without food, especially breakfast, is heart breaking. To help kick off our partnership, we have donated 20,000 meals to help Foodbank feed those doing it tough right now,” said Belinda.

 

According to Foodbank, children under the age of 15 who live in food insecure households often go without fresh food and may even go without some meals completely. More than 1 in 5 children in Australia (22%) experienced food insecurity in 2018*. Of these children, 18% have gone to school without any breakfast at least once a week and 9% of food insecure children go a whole day without eating at all at least once a week.

 

Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey, said, “As a mother of two boys, I know how important a good nutritious diet is. I know without breakfast before a school day, children can get ‘hangry’, they lack concentration, and they get agitated. We know from our Foodbank Rumbling Tummies report in 2018 that children’s wellbeing improves significantly when their family receives food relief, they are happier, have more energy and their behaviour improves.”

 

The Kids Shake was created by Belinda because the lack of healthy breakfast shake options for children. Any parent would empathise on how difficult it is to get a healthy nutritious breakfast into your kids every day.

 

“Our business is passionate about producing nutritious food to help children live their lives to the fullest. Our products are more than just meals, they include essential vitamins and minerals for growing, healthy, happy kids,” said Belinda.

 

The Kids Shake is a healthy breakfast alternative full of vitamins, nutrients and protein to help growing kids. Unlike many other products in the market The Kids Shake is low in sugar and has less than 3.2 g/ serving.

 

*Foodbank, Rumbling Tummies: Child Hunger in Australia, 2018