HiltonFoods& MeadePotatoes playingtheirpartsforcharity
TWO local companies are helping to feed thousands of people nationwide, thanks to partnering up with FoodCloud.
Hilton Foods based in Drogheda and Meade Potato Company in Lobinstown donate their surplus products to charity, through the Dublin-based initiative.
One in every 11 people in Ireland experience food poverty, and 1m tonnes of food is thrown out by Irish consumers and businesses each year, but these companies are doing their bit to feed those in need with the best in fresh, local produce.
“We’ve been involved for almost two years, since one of main customers Tesco told us about it, and we have now donated over 1.4 tonnes of meat, which equates over 3,000 meal, in that time,” explains Sean Leahy, Technical Manager, Hilton Foods.
“When we manufacture a batch of product for a company for a full case, if there is half a case or so left over, we used to freeze it, and sell it on as a low cost, but we now send it directly to FoodCloud, and we know it is going to a good place.”
Hilton opened their factory in Drogheda in 2004 and employ over 400 people, mostly from the local area.
“We produce beef, pork and lamb, and in 2008 expanded to breakfast products of bacon and sausage, and we donate the best in fresh and edible products to the charities, and not anything that is out of date, or not top quality,” adds Sean.
“It ties in with our own company ethos that through a project that has such high integrity, we know that the surplus food is being put to good use with those who need it most.”
Family firm Meade Potato Company heard about Food Cloud while working on the Feed the 5,000 project in Dublin, and knew they wanted to get on board.
“We had carried out a gleaning initiative, which is an ancient act of collecting leftover crops from farmers’ fields after they have been commercially harvested or on fields where it is not economically profitable to harvest,” explains Jeni Meade, Marketing Communications Manager with Meade Potato Company.
“We even got local schools like St Oliver’s involved, as well as Lidl, and it is also a perfect match for donating our food to charity through FoodCloud.”
It’s not only ‘out of spec’ potatoes that they can pass on, but also wonky carrots too!
“Out of spec is when the veg might be the wrong size, or shape, which tends to happen with naturally grown potatoes or carrots,” she explains.
“We also grow onions, but no one seems to mind their shape, so we don’t have as much surplus, but it great to know what we do donate is being distributed properly, and those who need it most are benefitting.”