BUSINESS MODELS & GUIDE FOR COACHES
The
FLAVOUR Project, a cross-border programme involving the UK, France and
Flanders (Belgium), has been looking into the issue of food surplus over
the past four
years and has now reported on its findings. The FLAVOUR
Project aim was to increase the effectiveness of enterprises dealing
with food surplus, whilst creating
pathways to employment for those most in need. This novel approach
addressed the challenges of dealing with large amounts of food surplus
still fit for human
consumption while simultaneously offering skills and
employment opportunities for those facing food poverty.
Plymouth Marjon
University and its partners in the FLAVOUR project have created new
resources to support social enterprises, businesses and
charities who
are working to tackle food waste that want to learn for this strategic programme.
All of these materials are free to download. Please find them via the following links.
Training guide
Training guide
Business model guide
Processing Food Surplus – on-line tool for business start-ups (Password: 2smz)
The first is a business model guide and an associated online tool
for those looking to start working in the surplus food sector. The
business model guide takes people through each aspect of business
planning, whether working in food distribution or food processing, using
the Triple Bottom Line Model – this means people consider the
environmental and social value of their business, as well as the
economic opportunities. There are two versions, one for the UK context, and one for Belgium and France.
In support of these resources, the on-line tool asks a series of
questions to help people think through the details of their food
processing business – once complete, the tool generates a bespoke report
that is emailed to you.
Furthermore, an online training guide for managers and coaches
working in food redistribution organisations has been created. This
provides food businesses with a wealth of materials which they can use
to help coach and train staff, volunteers and people in social
employment. Here you can find clear step-by-step guidance, videos on
food hygiene and safety, and graphics showing the dietary needs of
different groups in the population, as well as cards you can use with
staff to talk about wellbeing.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
Why is this important?
Today, 8.4 million people in the UK are struggling to afford to eat (that’s the population of London) and 4.7 million
of these people live in severely food insecure homes: this means that
their food intake is greatly reduced and children regularly experience
physical sensations of hunger – and this is likely to increase due to
the cost of living crisis we’re experiencing.
Alongside this about one third of the 10 billion tonnes
of food produced each year is wasted. In the UK, according to FareShare
and WRAP, 3.6 million tonnes of food is wasted by the food industry
every year – enough for 1.3 billion meals. Food becomes surplus due,
amongst other reasons, to over-production, labelling errors, a short
shelf-life, seasonal variations and domestic wastage by the consumer.
Across the UK, an increasing number of
community groups, charities, social enterprises, voluntary bodies,
local authorities and businesses are working to either redistribute food
waste to families who need it or using the food waste to create tasty
new products, like soup, which can then be sold. These initiatives
reduce the amount of food going to waste and directly support those in food poverty.