A small farm has helped vulnerable people stay healthy by donating their surplus microgreens to FareShare Cymru. 

Micro Acres Wales is a small, urban farm based outside of Pontypridd, which began growing microgreens in 2021. Microgreens are a very nutrient-dense, rich source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can be used in a range of things such as salads, dressings and sandwiches.

Micro Acres Wales began when one of their founders, Chris, was diagnosed with the rare neurological condition, ‘Ataxia’. Along with his health concerns, a family of fussy eaters inspired Chris to utilize his ‘green fingers’ and he began growing microgreens to make sure the whole family were eating nutritiously. 

Micro Acres Wales now supply their microgreens to private customers, chefs, catering companies, delicatessens and cafes. They have also begun to attend farmer’s markets, which sometimes leaves them with surplus items that were no longer commercially viable.

As a growing business with a firm ethos of sustainability at its heart, Micro Acres Wales wanted to reduce their waste levels, and make sure that its microgreens were going to good use.

Having reached out to FareShare Cymru, we explored the possibility of using the Surplus With Purpose Cymru Fund to make it cost-neutral for them to donate their microgreens, providing nutrient-rich products for distribution across our network. FareShare Cymru was able to reimburse the costs associated with both the harvesting of the microgreens and the labour costs of packaging them in a ‘distribution-ready’ state.

“We really value being able to put any of our surplus produce to good use, and being able to access the Surplus with Purpose Cymru Fund has been invaluable in this. As a growing firm, we need to balance doing the socially responsible thing with managing our own costs and outgoings. The Surplus with Purpose Cymru fund allows us to make sure that even when our microgreens are no longer commercially viable, or are approaching their end of life but are still perfectly safe to consume, they can do a lot of good in supporting vulnerable people”.

Donna Graves, the co-founder of Micro Acres Wales

“We at FareShare Cymru fully recognize how essential it is that people have access to fresh vegetables and produce as part of their diet. Unfortunately, vulnerable communities often find these the most difficult to access. We are delighted to be able to work with Micro Acres Wales to ensure that their microgreens are able to add vital nutrients to the diet of our network of members across Wales.”

Sarah Germain, CEO of FareShare Cymru

To find out how you could make it cost-neutral to donate your businesses’ food surplus using our Surplus with Purpose Cymru fund, click here.