Foodbank works right across the Australian food and grocery supply chain from farmers,
wholesalers, and manufacturers through to the retailers to source food and groceries.
Last year Foodbank sourced 48.1 million kilograms of food and groceries.
To ensure warehouses always have key staples in stock, Foodbank collaborates with
manufacturers, suppliers and transporters to proactively supplement essential items that do not come
in sufficient quantities via traditional food rescue channels.
Collaborative Supply Program
Foodbank is the only charity in Australia that collaborates with suppliers, manufacturers,
and transporters in an innovative program to ensure consistent supplies of essential food items are
available in its warehouses every day. The Collaborative Supply Program sees food manufacturers
produce sought-after products using spare production capacity. Suppliers donate or subsidise the
ingredients, packaging and delivery of the products to spread the commitment and enhance the
sustainability of the program. Through this program, we are able to provide consistent supplies of
breakfast cereals, fresh and long life milk, pasta and pasta sauce, canned fruit, baked beans and
sausages. With every dollar invested in the program delivering $5 worth of food – clearly a sound
investment.
Primary Produce Programs
Despite rural and regional Australians being more likely to be food insecure than their
metro counterparts, farming communities work closely with Foodbank to donate grain, rice, milk,
meat, eggs and fresh produce. Foodbank sources these essential products through relationships right
along the supply chain, partnering with farmers, produce market associations, and peak bodies from
paddock to plate. This farm fresh produce is collected by Foodbank and made available directly to
our charity network to be provided to food recipients, used in Foodbank production kitchens, or used
as manufacturing ingredients for the Collaborative Supply Program. For example, donated meat trim
can be used in our protein program and become sausages.