Starbucks Will Now Donate All Of Its Leftover Food to Hungry Americans

March 22, 2016

It makes complete sense that finding a solution to hunger means reducing food wastes.

To pitch in the growing need to feed the hungry, Starbucks has announced that it is ready to commit 100% of its leftover food to be donated via a new program called FoodShare, Mashable reported.

The project, which enables the company to donate leftover food from its 7,600 stores to food banks nationwide, is a joint initiative with non-profit organization Feeding America and food charity group Food Donation Connection.

In the U.S., over 48 million Americans are struggling to get enough food for their daily needs, according to Feeding America. This means that 15% of American households do not know where their next meal will come from.

Considering that the United States produces far more food than it needs for domestic consumption, it is almost a crime that an estimated 70 billion pounds of food go to waste every year, according to Feeding America.

Starbucks’ FoodShare will have Food Donation Connection and Feeding America pick up food from all its stores across the U.S., daily. Food will then be immediately delivered to food banks and rescue agencies in 24 hours or less, reaching those who need them before the food perishes.

“This food is going to make a difference, whether it’s a child not going hungry for the night or a family that’s able to enjoy a protein plate that they would not have otherwise been able to afford at Starbucks,” Starbucks store manager Kienan McFadden said in the announcement:

“Rescuing food … from being thrown away will change lives.”

Since 2010, Starbucks has began reducing its food waste through donations by donating leftover pastries to food banks. However, since the food is perishable, there were limitations to finding an effective way to deliver them immediately without spoiling.

The idea to completely donate perishable food came from Starbucks employees themselves, who reached out to management through surveys and emails to express the need for more comprehensive donation practices.

“They had the courage to tell us that they just couldn’t stand this anymore,” Jane Maly, brand manager of Starbucks Food team, told Mashable “They challenged us for a solution, and we dedicated a team to it and all this time. Now, they can celebrate that their voices were heard.”

Share this Article