Irish non-profit group FoodCloud has reached a milestone of 450 million meals of surplus food redistributed through its international network as the organisation aims to increase that to one billion meals by 2030.
The ambitious target comes as the non-profit, which was established almost 15 years ago, expands its international network, bringing its food redistribution technology to new markets and communities as it aims to save more food from going to waste.
The organisation, which was established by Iseult Ward and Aoibheann O’Brien in 2013, is dedicated to fighting food waste and food insecurity.
Based in Ireland, the platform has created a centre of excellence here to demonstrate surplus food redistribution through three hubs and its technology and initiatives, such as the AIB Community Meals Programme, the FoodCloud Kitchen and its agri-recovery initiative Growers Project, which aims to reduce food waste at farm level. Under this scheme, 540 food outlets donate their surplus to 685 charities and community groups.
READ MORE
FoodCloud has already established partnerships in Ireland, the United Kingdom and across Europe, including the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It also supports food banks in Kenya and other countries in Africa.
The platform allows beneficiary agencies to connect with food donors directly. That includes partners such as Food Bank Kenya, which uses FoodCloud’s food donation platform to connect organisations with surplus food to local communities in need, allowing the equivalent of almost 2.5 million meals to be redistributed over a year.
“These milestones reflect years of investment in Ireland as a living lab where we build, test and refine solutions that can be scaled around the world. Today, more than 2.3 billion people globally struggle to access adequate food,” said Ward.
“Against this backdrop, FoodCloud is accelerating its international expansion, strengthening partnerships and deploying our technology in new regions to deliver practical and scalable solutions at pace.
Kerry Group CEO on the impact of Middle East conflict, AI and drive to keep bread fresher for longer
“Our next phase will focus on scaling our technology platform, expanding our hubs and working with partners to move faster toward a future where no good food goes to waste. Our updated strategy has been developed on that basis along with a new brand identity that reflects our international growth.”
The expansion includes the growth of FoodCloud’s technology platform, which has passed 7.5 million in virtual redistribution donations, stronger relationships with food banks and further ties with food businesses globally.
“Passing 7.5 million donations and seeing partners in other countries rescue millions of meals demonstrates how technology can transform local food systems and support communities in need,” said O’Brien.
“Food waste and food insecurity remain urgent challenges, but these achievements show that when we give communities, growers and food banks the right tools, then the impact is immediate and meaningful. We will continue to build and share this work so that more people can benefit.”
