Today, Starbucks Canada announced the launch of Starbucks FoodShare, a national effort to provide nourishing, ready-to-eat meals to people in need.
The program will have every Starbucks location in the country donate all of its unsold food.
The company is “making a commitment to rescue 100 per cent of food available for donation from its more than 1,100 company-owned stores,” reads a statement.
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“Building on a successful pilot with Second Harvest, the largest food rescue organization in Canada, the program will launch in Ontario starting with more than 250 stores in the GTA by February 22nd,” continues the statement.
The company hopes to expand the program to even more cities and provinces.
The goal is “to have a national solution in place by 2021.”
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Starbucks Canada FoodShare Program
Before today’s announcement, Starbucks Canada had always donated unsold pastries and baked goods.
However, they wanted to do more.
Now, nourishing items like breakfast sandwiches, paninis, protein boxes, salads, yogurt, milk and dairy alternatives like soy and coconut, can be safely donated and enjoyed by those in need.
Starbucks FoodShare has “identified guidelines and developed training on maintaining the temperature, texture and flavour of this food, so that when it reaches a person in need, they can safely enjoy it”.
In addition, the American coffee company has partnered with Second Harvest to guide the new program.
Second Harvest is Canada’s largest food rescue organization and an expert in perishable food recovery. They work with businesses across the country to reduce the amount of surplus, edible food going to waste. That, in turn stops millions of pounds of greenhouse gases from damaging our environment.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Starbucks to support food recovery in local neighbourhoods to ensure people have the food they need to be healthy, while also making a positive impact on the environment,” says Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest.
The Starbucks FoodShare will also aim to “divert food surplus from landfills, helping to minimize the company’s environmental footprint”.
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