19 September 2014

Company Shop Crowned Community Partner at FDF Awards

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Barnsley-based social supermarket Company Shop scooped the Community Partner Award at last night's prestigious Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Awards. The ceremony held at London's The Brewery celebrated businesses across the food and drink industry and their contribution to the community, economy and environment.

The Community Partner Award recognises companies that make a positive difference to their local communities. Company Shop was presented with the award for its 'Community Shop', the UK's first social supermarket. The pilot store redistributes surplus from the supply chain and makes it available to people living in Goldthorpe, one of the UK's most deprived communities in the UK, at heavily discounted prices.

Through Community Shop, supermarket members on the cusp of food poverty are helped to retain dignity and choice through independent shopping and access to food and vital support. Members also benefit from access to the Community Hub, which provides free, tailored courses on cookery, home budgeting, CV-writing, debt advice and drug and alcohol support, working in partnership with local services.

FDF's Director of Economic and Commercial Services Steve Barnes said: “The FDF Awards truly are a badge of excellence and CFA's win demonstrates the positive contribution the food and drink industry can make in communities. We congratulate CFA for its work to inspire the next generation of food scientists and for the success it has achieved in bringing careers in this sector to life for students, teachers and parents alike.“

Category sponsor Food Matters Live's Director David Wood said: “The FDF Awards truly are a badge of excellence and demonstrate the positive contribution that food and drink businesses can make to the community.

“For over two decades Company Shop has been working with leading food producers and retailers to redistribute surplus food and goods safely and sustainably, and now with 'Community Shop' it is doing even more to use surplus food for social good. The benefits of the Community Shop are not only felt by those living in Goldthorpe but also the businesses in the UK food chain whose surplus products are being employed for such a positive social purpose.“

Winner's case studies are accessible here: http://www.fdf.org.uk/fdf-awards.aspx.

The 2015 FDF Awards will launch on 18 November 2015. For more information on the FDF Awards visit http://www.fdf.org.uk/fdf-awards.aspx.

Photography available from 19 September here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdfphotos/sets/

Notes for editors

1. The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is the voice of the food and drink manufacturing industry – the UK's largest manufacturing sector. For more information about FDF and the industry we represent visit: www.fdf.org.uk
2. Full details of all the winning company initiatives are available at: FDF public site: Events > FDF Awards
3. Company Shop is the parent company of Community Shop. It has been established for over 40 years, growing from a wholesale business supplying irregulars to institutional outlets, to become the UK's largest commercial redistributor of surplus food and products. It handles over 30,000 tonnes of surplus food product annually, providing retailers and manufacturers with a zero-to-landfill solution, where over 95% of food handled gets eaten. Full details: www.community-shop.co.uk/

For More information, please contact:

FDF Fleur Williamson on 020 7420 7120 fleur.williamson@fdf.org.uk

Company Shop Elin Twigge on 0207 622 9529 Elin.Twigge@plmr.co.uk

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