The Country Food Trust (CFT), achieved a lot in 2022-23, but looking ahead we have already set in place plans to feed more people and reach more areas across the country.
We are launching a new meal this winter, a vegetarian meal in Lentil Curry, to meet the dietary and religious requirements of people suffering from food insecurity. After such tremendous feedback from our 14-tonne turkey deliveries in December last year, we are also launching a turkey casserole. Once again listening to feedback from the bespoke production for Ukraine, we are launching a Venison Pasta bolognese. By adding the pasta to the pouch, it creates a complete meal, one that people have been asking for, as a way to eat, if needed, without heating, or to minimise the need to use the utilities. We are just starting to take orders for these meals available in both 300g pouches but also the 2kg catering packs as more people look to supply hot meals in community halls and food trucks, with limited cooking facilities.
We are endeavouring to deliver more raw meat to community kitchens that provide hot meals to vulnerable groups. To do so, we are collaborating with groups and organisations that can help us source the protein on a local basis. By supporting local communities with local meat, we are looking to be the conduit that creates the meals and distributes them back to the area where the meat was sourced. In doing so the initiative ‘field to foodbank; has real local meaning.
2023-24 will no doubt bring new challenges, but the infrastructure is in place for systemic change in the way that protein is delivered and accessed for those facing food insecurity, with the sole objective of feeding people in need.