HOUSTON, TX - Kroger continues to commit to creating healthier communities, and there is perhaps no better partner in this fight than Brigher Bites. The retailer recently gave the association a $50,000 grant to support its goal in expanding access to fresh produce and nutrition education in underserved communities across the United States. The grant will support Brighter Bites’ program implementation nationwide, as well as program expansion in two Kroger communities—Houston and Dallas.
“Brighter Bites is thankful to The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger/Zero Waste Foundation for its generous support and commitment to addressing the relationship between food insecurity and waste in our communities,” said Brighter Bites Chief Executive Officer Rich Dachman. “Through this partnership, Brighter Bites will be able to redirect more produce into the hands of those that need it—mitigating food waste while feeding and teaching healthier habits to the families we serve.”
While an estimated 10 percent of the U.S. population has poor access to fresh foods, 40 percent of the U.S. supply chain of fruits and vegetables goes to waste every year, a press release explained. These fruits and veggies cost roughly $218 billion annually to grow, process, transport, and dispose of—and it’s all food that goes uneaten.
“The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger/Zero Waste Foundation is excited to partner with Brighter Bites to expand its program,” said Sunny Reelhorn Parr, Executive Director of The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger/Zero Waste Foundation. “We celebrate their dedication to education and outreach efforts, and we look forward to working with their innovative team to help achieve our mission of creating communities free of hunger and waste.”
Brighter Bites is working to convert food waste into a public health opportunity, taking recovered produce from growers, distributors, and food banks and teaching families how to cook with it.
This partnership, both companies noted, will include volunteer support from Kroger associates at Brighter Bites program sites in Houston and Dallas. This school year, the organization is projected to enroll more than 30,000 children and their families across 133 schools and 48 summer camps in eight cities.
Is Kroger on the lookout for more supply-side partnerships? Are we in the middle of a food waste awareness revolution? AndNowUKnow will continue to report the latest.
