Health-focused food box company Mindful Chef and ethical family business Oakland International are working together to support local charities by donating fresh vegetables and fruit.
Mindful Chef’s food box operations are based at Oakland’s Redditch facility. Both companies are passionate about eradicating food waste and reducing carbon emissions within the supply chain, and linked with Oakland’s work and support of local charities in the area they are now successfully channelling food surplus to several charities including Foodcycle Birmingham Longbridge, Worcestershire Homeless Appeal, The Geoff Horsfield Foundation, Betel Centre Birmingham, Worcestershire YMCA and Redditch Nightstop.
Mindful Chef ingredients are cultivated in the most natural way possible, sourcing ingredients from small ethical farms across the UK, with all recipes based on using fresh vegetables in an innovative way.
Mindful Chef Co-Founder Robert Grieg-Gran commented: “As a service, we eradicate food waste in the home, so it is fantastic that Oakland can operate a zero-food waste operation for us. Through our One Feeds Two program, we have donated over 1 million school meals to children living in poverty, and we’re very proud to be able to work with the charities local to Oakland with the food surplus within our operations.”
Double BRC AA accredited and a multi-award winner Oakland International is an EHO approved multi temperature distribution business specialising in contract packing, storage, picking, tempering, distribution and brand development support for the retail, convenience, discount, wholesale and food service markets via facilities in the UK, Ireland and an overseas partner in Spain.
Oakland International Managing Director Shaun Foley commented: “Supporting vulnerable people within the community is a prime focus for Oakland International which led us to launch our own charity six years ago, the Oakland Foundation, with the aim of supporting children under the age of sixteen and their families through projects based on health and nutrition, education and sport.
“We are delighted to be working together with Mindful Chef to ensure surplus vegetables and fruit reach local charities as no food that could be eaten should ever be wasted.”
Geoff Horsfield of The Geoff Horsfield Foundation which provides safe and secure housing accommodation for vulnerable adults added: “Oakland international and Mindful Chef have been a fantastic help donating surplus food. The homeless we feed on Monday night have been so overwhelmed as have my residents in my properties, thank you again for helping such a great cause.”
Sharon Holtom from Redditch Nightstop, a homeless prevention charity for young people aged 16-35 years old, commented: “Oakland have been donating fresh food to Redditch Nightstop for about five months. The food has been a great help and has also helped us to teach young people how to prepare and cook foods on a budget.
“Thank you, Oakland International and Mindful Chef, for your continued support.”