Each year in Wales, around 400,000 tonnes of food is wasted, much of it still good to eat. This surplus food could be provided to charities and turned into meals, instead of going to waste. FareShare Cymru is keen to work with Welsh food businesses, to get good-to-eat food to people, rather than throwing this surplus food away. With rising costs over the last few years, food businesses might have had to cut back on donating their surplus food, as it is often cheaper to send food to animal feed, anaerobic digestion, or landfill. 

The launch of the Surplus with Purpose Cymru fund has allowed Welsh food businesses to provide their surplus food completely free of charge, as the fund covers the cost of getting this food to FareShare Cymru’s network of charities. Not only does this fund mean businesses avoid the costs associated with donating their surplus but it also reduces the environmental impact of waste disposal. 

Since April 2024, the Surplus with Purpose Cymru fund has seen an impressive 268 tonnes of fresh produce including cucumbers, potatoes, cauliflower and milk through the doors of the FareShare warehouse, at no cost to the contributing businesses. This has prevented 777 tonnes of CO2 emissions had the food ended up in landfill. As FareShare distributes this surplus food to charities and organisations, it has helped create an estimated 638,095 meals for people who need it most. 

One food partner who accessed the Surplus with Purpose Cymru fund this year is Bremenda Isaf Farm in Carmarthenshire. Bremenda Isaf Farm is a forward-thinking farm, currently trialing an initiative to grow high-quality produce locally, for locals; reducing reliance on sourcing food from further afield and subsequently, reducing the carbon emissions that come with the transport. Piers, from Bremenda Isaf Farm, commented on his experience of accessing the fund: 

‘At Bremenda Isaf Farm we have a mission to grow great quality, nutritious food for the public plate. But as with any food producer, there is always surplus that needs to find a home. It’s brilliant that we can provide some of our surplus to FareShare Cymru, in the knowledge that it will reach people across Wales who need it most.’ 

Piers explains how access to the fund meant they could prevent an over-production of cucumbers from going to waste:  

‘This fund has been absolutely instrumental in diverting surplus from waste. We had a situation in which cucumbers destined for school meals were producing significant quantities during the summer holidays. Our other markets were unable to take those quantities, so it was a lifeline for us to have a third sector route that had no limit on the number of cucumbers it could handle. In today’s economic climate, in which people struggle to afford the high cost of living, it was so good to know that our produce was going where it was really needed.’ 

Not only does the Surplus with Purpose Cymru fund take the cost of donating surplus out of the equation, it is also hassle free. Piers explained the fund was easy to use: ‘All we had to do was stay in communication with FareShare [Cymru] officers around pick up times, and ensure stock was packed and ready to go.’ 

When asked if he would recommend the Surplus with Purpose Cymru fund to others in the industry, Piers said: 

‘We would definitely recommend other growers to access this fund. As growers, we will always have surplus produce that won’t make the grade for our regular markets, but is still perfectly good to eat. It makes sense to provide that surplus to a third sector that can use it support some of the most vulnerable in our society, at minimal time and logistics input from us.’ 

The Surplus with Purpose Cymru fund has had an immeasurable impact on communities across Wales in the last few years. It has allowed FareShare Cymru to access local, high-quality surplus, like that of Bremenda Isaf Farm’s, that would’ve otherwise gone to waste. If you would like to do good with your surplus and access the fund before the end of the year, get in touch at SWP@fareshare.cymru