William (Bill) Kemp’s Post

A recent study reveals a win-win scenario for grocery stores: donating their near-expiring food can increase profits. This counterintuitive finding suggests that such donations can reduce waste management costs and enhance the store’s brand image, potentially attracting more customers who value corporate social responsibility. 🛒🌍 The research indicates that by donating rather than discarding, stores contribute to community welfare and improve their bottom line. Instead of discounting it, stores that donated food may have made better use of the limited room to display fresher inventory. What implications could this have for the grocery industry? Could this model inspire more businesses to adopt similar practices?  https://lnkd.in/gNyFS5Kd #Sustainability #FoodWaste #CorporateResponsibility #GroceryRetail #FoodTrends

A recent study reveals a win-win scenario for grocery stores: donating their near-expiring food can increase profits. This counterintuitive finding suggests that such donations can reduce waste management costs and enhance the store’s brand image, potentially attracting more customers who value corporate social responsibility. 🛒🌍 The research indicates that by donating rather than discarding, stores contribute to community welfare and improve their bottom line. Instead of discounting it, stores that donated food may have made better use of the limited room to display fresher inventory. What implications could this have for the grocery industry? Could this model inspire more businesses to adopt similar practices? https://lnkd.in/gG88M7Kh #Sustainability #FoodWaste #CorporateResponsibility #GroceryRetail #FoodTrends

Donating surplus food can lead to an increase in profits of 9% No, the headline is not a typo. According to Northeastern business professor John Lowrey donating surplus food can significantly benefit your business. Here's how: Brand Perception: Retailers like Kroger find that food donations improve brand image, aligning with quality and community support. Cost Savings: Partnering with organizations that distribute surplus food cuts waste management costs. Customer Loyalty: Contributions to food pantries attract customers who value social responsibility, enhancing loyalty and word-of-mouth. Environmental Impact: Reducing food waste through donations lowers your business's environmental footprint, aligning with sustainability goals. Increased Profits: Lowrey found that donating surplus food can result in a 9% increase in profits compared to not making donations. Join the EETZ Rescue movement and see how your surplus food can increase your profits! #FoodRescue #Sustainability #CorporateResponsibility #FoodDonation #CommunityImpact #EETZRescue

Executive Director Myles Vanni, who has been with the Inn of the Good Shepherd, Sarnia, Ont., for 19 years, says that the community's need has never been higher, with so many households turning to food banks and other programs for assistance. He notes that the people who regularly visit the food bank are those who used to manage their expenses from one paycheck to another but are now unable to make ends meet. Unfortunately, despite the rise in demand, donations have decreased by 20%, causing food expenditures to increase from $5,000 to $20,000 per month. Vanni is concerned about the long-term sustainability of food banks and their ability to keep up with the growing demand. However, he remains optimistic and is exploring new partnerships with chain businesses to find new sources of support. The Inn has a successful food recovery program in place, where it collaborates with local grocers and businesses. The Bagel Factory and Tim Hortons are among the businesses that donate "day-olds". In addition, Little Caesars donates hot and ready pizzas that are no longer viable for customer purchase after 12 minutes of sitting. The Inn also visits chain grocery stores at least once a week to collect day-of or near-expired items that are still good for consumption. According to Vanni, grocery stores have been very cooperative and helpful, providing meats, cheeses, breads, and vegetables. Local grocery stores like Walmart and Metro provide various ways to support the Inn of the Good Shepherd's food bank. Walmart's donation split is usually 90/10 in favor of the food bank, while Metro offers pre-made bags valued at $6.99 based on the Inn's high-demand product needs. By donating at these stores, people can be confident that most of their contribution will go directly to the Inn of the Good Shepherd. To learn more about how you can support your local food bank, please visit the link: https://lnkd.in/gkCrdb3z

Government funding plays a crucial role in supporting organizations like Food Depot Alimentaire, which supply essential resources to food banks and soup kitchens across New Brunswick. Stephane Sirois, Food Depot Alimentaire's executive director, emphasized the significance of this funding, with an additional $1 million contribution announced by the provincial government. Sirois highlights its impact on ensuring that food banks and community kitchens can provide a variety of fresh produce to those in need. However, as visits to food banks and soup kitchens continue to rise, it's clear that long-term solutions are needed to address food insecurity effectively. The 35% increase in visits last year highlights the urgency of this issue, with more families relying on these services for support. At Greener Village, we recognize the importance of addressing food insecurity beyond immediate relief efforts. By advocating for sustainable solutions and supporting initiatives that promote access to nutritious food for all, we can work towards building a healthier and more resilient community. Join us in our mission to combat food insecurity and support families in need. Together, we can create lasting change and ensure that no one goes hungry. Donate today: https://lnkd.in/g-FKWSH5 #FoodSecurity #CommunitySupport #EndHunger

"More than one-third of food charities in Canada turned people away last year because of a lack of supplies, according to a report released Tuesday that also forecasts an 18 per cent increase in demand across the country in 2024. In Second Harvest’s second annual study 'Hungry for Change,' the non-profit said that it expects demand for food charities to grow even more in Toronto — as much as 30 per cent, marking the second largest expected increase among the country's major urban centres. Second Harvest surveyed more than 1,400 non-profit food organizations last year — including food banks, shelters, schools and various other charities or social services across Canada — to forecast upcoming demand in the charitable food sector. 'Canadians can't keep up with inflation. Housing is unaffordable,' said Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest. 'When people are trying to figure out how to manage their necessities, food is always a negotiable cost.' The 2024 Food Price Report, jointly researched by several Canadian universities, forecasts that food prices will increase by as much as 4.5 per cent this year. That represents an additional $701.79 for a family of four compared to last year, according to the Second Harvest report. In 2023, food prices rose by 5.9 per cent, totalling more than 10 per cent in two years. The study found the projected increase in demand means more than one million Canadians will access food charities for the first time in 2024. That translates to at least 100,000 Torontonians using food charities for the first time this year, Nikkel said. 'That's an extremely conservative estimate based on the 539 non-profits Second Harvest supports in Toronto,' she added. 'Accounting for the entire charitable network in the city, it’s likely this number will be much higher.' Nikkel said there's 'more than enough food' for Canadians, but the issue is whether they can afford it. That's why addressing poverty first is key, she said, adding that potential solutions include reinstating the federal Surplus Food Rescue Program, expanding eligibility for the GST Grocery Rebate, increasing minimum wage and lowering taxes for low-income households... Toronto resident Alex Garcia, 40, said he used to donate to local food charities, but Sunday he had to access a food bank for the first time. 'Inflation is destroying us,' said Garcia ...'Prices just keep going up. We can't afford proper meals' ... While Second Harvest's report found that 36 per cent of food charities across the country have a wait-list of people who cannot access their support, in Toronto that number increased to 50 per cent out of the 229 food charities that responded, Nikkel noted ..." #SDoH #foodinsecurity #incomegap #foodbanks #hunger #inflation #affordabilitycrisis #systemicpoverty #classdivide #onpoli #nspoli #cdnpoli #globalpoli #globalimpact

Doing good is not just the right thing to do—it’s smart business. When major retailers like Kroger, Walmart, and Costco donate surplus food, they aren’t just feeding communities; they’re boosting their bottom line. By donating nearly 2 billion pounds of food in 2022, they've actually increased sales and profits. While this isn’t rocket science, and we’ve heard it before, we need to understand that in an era where programs are being cut, scaled back, or consolidated, those falling under "social good" tend to be the first to go. (Let’s save the discussion on diversity cuts for another post). But it’s important to think beyond immediate financial pressures and plan ahead. When we eventually shift back into an era of giving, playing catch-up will be labor- and cost-intensive. The benefits of these programs—some of which carry serious value—deserve to have a currency attached to them. So while “doing good” absolutely provides financial returns, it’s also about marketing and embedding social impact into the core of your business. Here’s why social impact is crucial to success: -> Authentic impact: Consumers are increasingly loyal to brands that make a real difference. Supporting communities through food donations builds trust and strengthens brand equity by showing genuine care. -> Employee pride: Employees are more engaged when they know their company is doing good. Being part of an organization that prioritizes social good can boost morale and retention. -> Community commitment: Ongoing contributions to local food banks underscore a company’s dedication to the community. It fosters goodwill and aligns the brand with values that matter to both customers and employees. In the end, doing good is good marketing—because when you invest in your community, you invest in your brand. https://lnkd.in/gXMMfYFS #socialimpact #brandstrategy #businessstrategy #communityinvestment #brandimpact

A new report finds that more than 100,000 Torontonians are projected to use the services of a food #charity for the first time this year--a 30 per cent increase over 2023. Food price #inflation is a major contributing factor to that increased demand, according to the report.

Thank you to Sarah Butler at the The Guardian for highlighting the problematic change to surplus food collections at Tesco through FareShare UK for small charities and VCS partners such as ours. Tesco now only releases it's surplus food at closing time making it impossible for the majority of us to redistribute the food as we all predominantly work daytime only. Whereas the other big supermarkets all continue - in London - to have daytime redistribution; i.e.; when volunteers are available to help with this work. Tesco's and Fareshare Go SHOULD have consulted their stakeholders which are the charities and VCS partners who collect and redistribute their food for free to those in need. Our views matter. To say that Olio will pick up the food if we cannot attend is not good enough. As the food is not redistributed to those most vulnerable and most of the waste ends up in the local authority waste stream subsidising the waste cost of Tesco when Food heroes from Olio are unable to redistribute everything that they pick-up when they go to do their collections. Here's the article: https://lnkd.in/eE82T8nA

Red Tractor, Foodbank, and ALDI Australia have joined forces to launch a ‘Buy One, Give One’ initiative aimed at alleviating food insecurity among Australians. The partnership marks a significant step forward in addressing the pressing issue of hunger in Australia and encourages Aussies to help other Aussies. The centrepiece of this partnership is the ‘Buy One, Give One’ initiative with Red Tractor oats. For every bag of 1.6kg oats purchased by customers at ALDI stores when the product is available on Special Buys from 17 July 2024 another 1.6kg of oats will be donated by Red Tractor to Foodbank. This initiative aims to provide over three million meals to Australians in need over the next two weeks alone. Red Tractor Foodbank Australia ALDI Stores Australia https://lnkd.in/gPb6d6rf