Asda provides 1 million Christmas Dinners as part of the Coronation Food Project

Today, we are delighted to confirm that Asda is supporting the Coronation Food Project and in partnership with FareShare we have agreed to donate the equivalent of 1 million Christmas dinners to charities and other good causes during the festive season.

We are proud to be a member of the new Coronation Food Project launched today, as this initiative aligns with our own ambitions to reduce all forms of waste in the food supply chain and increase the amount of surplus food that is redistributed to those in need, thereby increasing our collective environmental and social impact.

The Coronation Food Project seeks to tackle food waste and food insecurity across the UK, by redistributing surplus food to those who need it most whilst reducing carbon emissions. The food industry is collaborating with the Coronation Food Project to provide access to surplus food throughout the supply chain and building on existing partnerships operated by FareShare and The Felix Project to redirect that supply to a range of community organisations, from after-school clubs and homeless shelters to nursing homes and domestic violence refuges.

The Christmas dinner will consist of a portion of veg, potatoes and meat and we have worked with FareShare to ensure we meet their 420g meal portion size, and the requirements for nutritionally balanced meals. The donations will start this week and run through until the 18th of December.

The donations have been made possible by redirecting surplus ingredients directly from manufacturers within the Asda and IPL supply chain. In addition, several key supplier partners have been involved and have made some very generous donations and we would like to place on record our thanks to those partners for helping to make this donation possible, in particular our partners at Lamex Foods / Danish Crown, Oakfield Foods , Puffin Produce, Scottish Potato Cooperative and Greenvale AP, and Aranda, Juan Rubert and Catman Fresh.

This donation builds on the existing decade-long partnership between Asda and FareShare, which has seen over 30 million meals donated in that time, as well as £13million in donations to increase and improve the charities' logistics capabilities.

Kris Comerford, Chief Commercial Officer – Food, said: “We are incredibly proud to be a part of this historic initiative which aligns so well with our core targets to support our communities and reduce food waste. We are delighted to be able to further strengthen our relationship with Fareshare by donating the equivalent of 1 million meals at a time that is hardest for the most vulnerable in our communities, alongside the other fantastic work that is already being done through our existing food donation partnerships.”

**Simon Millard, Director of Food, FareShare said: **“We are very grateful for the generous donation of 1 million Christmas Dinners as part of the Coronation Food Project from such a significant partner such as Asda. The support we have received from Asda over the years has been integral in enabling us to transform our infrastructure and to provide food to those who need it most. We are so proud of our long-term partnership which aims to reduce waste through redistributing food in order to make meaningful change in local communities across the United Kingdom.