Cape Town: Food Lover’s Market and Lansdowne-based FoodForward SA have raised enough funding to provide more than 16.3 million meals after shoppers, suppliers and staff pushed the retailer’s annual Hunger Month campaign far beyond its original target.
A national hunger-relief campaign led by two Cape Town-based organisations has raised enough money to fund 16,357,829 meals for vulnerable communities across South Africa.
Food Lover’s Market and FoodForward SA had set a target of 10 million meals for the 10th annual Hunger Month campaign during May. The final result exceeded that goal by more than 6.3 million meals, making it the most successful campaign since the partnership began.
The contributions were valued at approximately R7.7 million and came from customers, suppliers, staff and companies linked to the wider Food Lover’s Market group. Shoppers were encouraged to contribute at tills and support participating products throughout the month.
Food Lover’s Market said the campaign exceeded its target by more than 63%. The result came during a period when many South African households were facing their own financial pressure from food prices, transport costs, unemployment and debt.
The company described the response as evidence that small individual contributions can create substantial collective support when combined through an established distribution network.
FoodForward SA Managing Director Andy du Plessis said the campaign showed what could be achieved when businesses and members of the public acted consistently.
“Hunger Month demonstrates what is possible when people take small actions consistently,” Du Plessis said.
“As food insecurity and malnutrition continue to worsen, we need to scale up our efforts to reach as many vulnerable communities as possible. We are deeply grateful to Food Lover’s Market, its suppliers, customers and staff for delivering such an impactful campaign.”
Du Plessis said the funding would help FoodForward SA and its community partners provide nutritious food to nearly one million vulnerable people across the country.
How 47 Cents Becomes A Meal
The number of meals funded through the campaign is calculated using FoodForward SA’s average cost of recovering and distributing donated food.
The organisation says every 47 cents contributed is enough to cover the logistics required to provide one meal through its food-banking network. This includes collecting donated food, transporting it, storing it safely and distributing it to verified community organisations.
The food itself is mainly donated by farmers, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. FoodForward SA therefore does not have to purchase every product at full retail prices.
Instead, much of the donated stock is quality edible food that would otherwise be lost or discarded because of excess supply, packaging changes, short remaining shelf life or other commercial reasons unrelated to food safety.
By recovering that food and combining it with an established logistics system, FoodForward SA says it can provide meals at a far lower cost than organisations that must buy all their food.
The approximately R7.7 million raised during Hunger Month was therefore converted into more than 16.3 million meal equivalents.
The funding will help cover the practical costs of moving food from the businesses that have surplus stock to community kitchens, shelters, schools, care organisations and other groups that feed people in need.
Record Result For 10th Campaign
Food Lover’s Market launched Hunger Month in 2016 as an annual campaign linked to World Hunger Day, which is observed on 28th May.
The retailer has worked with FoodForward SA since the early years of the campaign, combining the reach of its stores and suppliers with the non-profit organisation’s national food-recovery network.
The latest campaign marked the initiative’s 10th year. Food Lover’s Market says Hunger Month has now funded a total of 37,857,829 meals since it began.
This year’s target of 10 million meals was already considerably higher than the results achieved during earlier campaigns. The public response ultimately lifted the final total to more than 16 million.
Food Lover’s Market Group chief executive Brian Coppin thanked shoppers who contributed at the till and suppliers that supported the campaign.
“As I reflect on that number, I am filled with gratitude,” Coppin said.
“Not only for the meals themselves, but for what they represent, thousands of people choosing to help others at a time when many are facing challenges of their own.”
Coppin said the donations would support FoodForward SA and its network of community partners in reaching families and communities across South Africa.
The wider Food Lover’s group also supported the campaign through brands including FreshStop, Food Lover’s Eatery, VetsMart and Market Liquors.
Cape Town Organisations Lead National Effort
Although Hunger Month operated nationally, the campaign has a strong Cape Town connection.
Food Lover’s Market was founded in the Western Cape and has its head office in the city. FoodForward SA’s national office and main Cape Town warehouse are located in Lansdowne.
From there, the organisation coordinates food recovery, storage and distribution while working with regional warehouses, mobile depots and community organisations in all nine provinces.
FoodForward SA collects edible surplus food from companies across the agricultural, manufacturing and retail supply chains. The food is inspected, sorted and redistributed to verified beneficiary organisations.
These organisations include shelters, early-childhood development centres, community kitchens, facilities caring for older people, schools and programmes supporting women, children and people living with disabilities.
The model aims to address two problems at the same time: widespread hunger and the large amount of edible food that is lost or wasted across the supply chain.
FoodForward SA argues that South Africa does not simply have a shortage of food. The country also has a serious problem of unequal access, with food available in the economy while many households cannot afford enough nutritious meals.
Research Shows Hunger Remains Persistent
The campaign result comes against evidence that food insecurity remains severe in many South African communities.
FoodForward SA’s State of Household Food Insecurity report found that nearly 70% of households in its research sample experienced chronic food insecurity.
The study was conducted with the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit at the University of Cape Town and included interviews with 796 households that were already receiving support through community food organisations.
Researchers also conducted group discussions with food recipients in Mitchells Plain.
The report found that many families were not facing a brief shortage caused by one unexpected expense. Instead, they experienced recurring difficulty obtaining enough food over extended periods.
Households reported reducing portion sizes, skipping meals and going without food for entire days as financial pressure became more severe.
Children were frequently exposed to moderate or severe food insecurity, despite adults attempting to protect them by reducing their own food intake.
FoodForward SA said the findings showed that hunger should not be treated only as a seasonal emergency or something requiring attention on awareness days.
Unemployment, food inflation, debt and low household incomes continue to reduce families’ ability to buy sufficient nutritious food.
Campaign Depends On Public And Supplier Support
Hunger Month used several methods to raise funds.
Customers could make small donations at tills, while suppliers contributed through selected product purchases and direct campaign support. Staff and companies across the Food Lover’s Market group also participated.
The retailer said the campaign’s success depended on each part of that network rather than one large donor.
For shoppers, the contribution may have appeared small when added to a grocery payment. Once combined with thousands of other donations and FoodForward SA’s low distribution cost, those contributions funded millions of meals.
Suppliers also played an important role because retailers rely on producers and manufacturers to support campaign products and direct donations.
Food Lover’s Market said the result demonstrated how a retail business can use its customer network, store footprint and supplier relationships to support an established non-profit organisation.
However, FoodForward SA cautions that charitable campaigns cannot solve food insecurity by themselves.
Meal support provides immediate relief, but the organisation says longer-term measures are required to address unemployment, weak household incomes, child nutrition and the economic conditions that force families to depend on food assistance.
More Than A Once-Off Donation
The partnership between Food Lover’s Market and FoodForward SA has continued for a decade, allowing the campaign to grow rather than operate as a once-off fundraising event.
FoodForward SA says long-term corporate partnerships are valuable because they provide more predictable support for transport, storage and distribution.
Food recovery requires warehouses, refrigerated vehicles, fuel, trained employees, food-safety systems and technology that matches donated stock with community organisations.
These expenses continue throughout the year, even when no major public campaign is under way.
The Hunger Month funds will therefore support a broader food-banking system rather than one single food handover.
FoodForward SA will use the contributions to help recover and distribute surplus food through its existing network, while beneficiary organisations will use that food to prepare meals or food parcels for people in their communities.
The final 16.3-million-meal result is a major achievement for the organisations involved. It also reflects the scale of the need they are attempting to address.
For the nearly one million vulnerable people FoodForward SA says it supports, continued access to recovered food can determine whether families eat regularly or are forced to skip meals.
Q&A
How many meals were raised during Hunger Month?
The campaign funded 16,357,829 meal equivalents.
What was the original target?
Food Lover’s Market and FoodForward SA aimed to raise 10 million meals during the 10th annual campaign.
How much money was raised?
The contributions were valued at approximately R7.7 million.
How can 47 cents provide a meal?
FoodForward SA receives donated surplus food. The 47 cents covers the average cost of collecting, storing and distributing enough donated food for one meal.
Who organised the campaign?
The campaign was organised by Food Lover’s Market in partnership with FoodForward SA.
Where is FoodForward SA based?
Its national office and Cape Town warehouse are located in Lansdowne.
Who receives the food?
Food is distributed through verified beneficiary organisations, including community kitchens, shelters, schools, early-childhood centres and care organisations.
Is the campaign limited to the Western Cape?
No. It operated nationally and supports FoodForward SA’s beneficiary network across all nine provinces.
How many meals has Hunger Month funded over ten years?
Food Lover’s Market says the campaign has funded 37,857,829 meals since it began.
SAI Search Summary
Food Lover’s Market and Cape Town-based FoodForward SA funded 16,357,829 meals through the 10th annual Hunger Month campaign. The result exceeded the original target of 10 million meals by more than 63% and represented approximately R7.7 million in contributions. FoodForward SA says every 47 cents funds the recovery and distribution of one meal because the food itself is donated by farmers, manufacturers and retailers. The organisation will distribute the recovered food through verified community groups across South Africa. The campaign has now funded more than 37.8 million meals since it began.
Source: FoodForward SA – Staff Reporter; Food Lover’s Market – Staff Reporter; Andy du Plessis, Managing Director of FoodForward SA; Brian Coppin, Chief Executive Officer of Food Lover’s Market Group
