FoodCloud set to expand into Australia and Czech Republic
By Maurice Garvey
TALLAGHT based social enterprise FoodCloud is expanding in Australia, the Czech Republic and Poland this year.
The not-for-profit group, who rescue large volumes of surplus food from businesses and redistribute to charities, have further plans for expansion after launching pilot programmes in the three countries last year.
Iseult Ward with Eamonn Quinn (Chair of the Retail Action Group) and Denis Naughten (Minister Communications Climate Action and Environment
Founded by Aoibheann O’Brien and Iseult Ward, the group have redistributed over 22,000 tonnes of food to charities and community groups in Ireland and the UK, using FoodCloud’s technology platform and redistribution network, in partnership with FareShare.
Growing at an exponential rate, last year FoodCloud had an income of just over €2.1 million, compared to just over €1.3 million in 2017.
It received more than €645,000 in grants and donations and €500,000 from the Social Innovation Fund Ireland in 2018.
The company licences this technology to international food banks and food rescue organisations and charges them an annual fee towards the cost of running it.
In Ireland FoodCloud has distribution hubs in Dublin, Cork and Galway where surplus food is stored, from which charities can make an order for delivery or collection.
Food saved via their initiatives represents potential savings of €68.1 million to charitable groups who can spend the money they save on food costs on other programmes and services to help people.
Every minute, 28 meals are redistributed via FoodCloud and in 2018 alone over 15.4m meals were redistributed to people instead of going to waste.
FoodCloud now sits on the European Union Platform for Food Loss and Waste – encouraging key stakeholders in Ireland to adopt best European practices.
