At Roche Bros., we aim to prevent food waste and to support the local food chain. With food waste being such a prevalent issue, we looked to find a way to prevent food from being wasted while supporting the community, and with that came our perfect partner: Lovin’ Spoonfuls. Since 2011, we have built a strong and collaborative relationship with Lovin’ Spoonfuls. Their services help provide support to thousands of individuals and families experiencing food insecurity, allowing them to lead better, healthier lives utilizing food that would have otherwise been wasted.
Over 80 million tons of food are wasted each year. That means roughly 35% of all available food in the United States goes unsold or uneaten, while 38 million people are facing food insecurity. In 2021, Lovin’ Spoonfuls picked up 760,000 pounds of food from Roche Bros., Brothers Marketplace, and Sudbury Farm locations. That is the equivalent of over 600,000 meals provided to people in need. On a weekly basis, the food Lovin’ Spoonfuls distributes feeds more than 38,000 people across Greater Boston, MetroWest, and Hamden County. On average, over 60% of the food they distribute is fresh nutrient-dense produce, meat, and dairy. They provide the equivalent of more than 60,000 meals’ worth of food each week.
What is food rescue?
Food rescue involves taking excess food that is not salable (but is still tasty and nutritious) and distributing it to those who need it. The food, which would otherwise be discarded, is not spoiled, rotten, or “out of code.”
What are the benefits of food rescue? Isn’t it just easier to compost leftover food?
In addition to keeping food out of landfills — thereby mitigating the negative environmental effects that wasted food has on our environment — food rescue addresses food insecurity and improves access to healthy food for people who need it. While composting is certainly valuable for food that can no longer be consumed, we believe that distributing fresh, healthy food when it can be consumed, has a greater human impact.
How is Lovin’ Spoonfuls different from a food bank?
Food banks rely on warehouses and other overnight storage facilities to maintain their inventory of primarily non-perishable goods. Lovin’ Spoonfuls utilizes a direct distribution system. We pick up food and deliver to our nonprofit beneficiaries in the same day. We do not store or ‘bank’ food because we work primarily with perishable products. Direct distribution helps to ensure direct access.
Where does the food go after it has been rescued?
After Lovin’ Spoonsfuls rescues food, their Food Rescue Coordinators deliver it to their nonprofit partners – pantries, meal programs, shelters, and more – same-day.
During your shopping this month, please consider making a donation to Lovin’ Spoonfuls. Every $1 donated enables Lovin’ Spoonfuls to rescue 3 lbs of food.
