One Million Tins of Baked Beans to Help Families Facing Hunger Across The UK
By Charities Correspondent
A million tins of baked beans are set to reach people struggling to put food on the table this summer thanks to a new partnership between food manufacturers, retailers and charities.
The ambitious initiative will see one million tins of Branston Baked Beans produced specifically for Felix – the UK's largest food rescue charity, formed through the merger of FareShare and The Felix Project.
The beans will be distributed through Felix's network of more than 8,000 charities, schools, food banks and community kitchens, helping provide nutritious meals to people across the country.
The project brings together Princes, Waitrose, Alliance Food Sourcing (AFS) and Felix in a new approach to tackling food insecurity.
Rather than relying solely on surplus food, the partnership is making use of spare manufacturing capacity to produce additional baked beans during quieter periods.
The result is a reliable supply of a much-needed store cupboard staple for charities supporting people facing hardship.
The initiative builds on the legacy of The King's Coronation Food Project and is part of the wider work of Alliance Food Sourcing, which works with food businesses to unlock surplus food and manufacturing capacity for charitable use.
It also marks a shift in how the food industry can respond to hunger.
While surplus donations remain important, they can be unpredictable. Producing food specifically for donation provides charities with greater consistency and helps ensure more families receive the support they need.
Waitrose is also trialling similar schemes with suppliers Daybreak and Primafruit.
Together, the three projects are expected to provide the equivalent of more than 1.9 million meals for Felix by the end of the year.
David McDiarmid, Corporate Relations Director at Princes Group, said:
"Baked beans have been a cornerstone of the British kitchen for decades thanks to their versatility and long shelf life. We're proud that our first project with Alliance Food Sourcing is producing Branston Baked Beans specifically for people who need them.
"By using our manufacturing capability, we're able to go beyond surplus food donations and actively produce nutritious food for communities facing hardship."
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Marija Rompani, Director of Ethics and Sustainability at Waitrose, said:
"This is about more than donating surplus food. It's about finding new ways to work with our suppliers to make a real difference for people and communities across the UK."
Nicky Robinson, Director of Alliance Food Sourcing, added:
"This partnership shows what can be achieved when businesses work together. Simple changes to supply chains can unlock millions more meals for people facing food insecurity."
Charlotte Hill OBE, Chief Executive of Felix, said:
"Demand for food continues to grow, so projects like this are incredibly important. Not only does it demonstrate the power of collaboration, but it also provides a steady supply of one of the foods our charities are always pleased to receive."
