Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) has joined forces with Coles to support food relief organisation, SecondBite, for the second year in a row. The company aims to donate $200,000 to support Australians in need during the current cost of living crisis.
With the rising cost of living, research from the FoodBank Hunger Report has revealed that the number of Australian households experiencing food insecurity has risen from 20 per cent to 36 per cent over the past year.
Additional research by SecondBite highlighted that almost half of Australians have cut back on, or skipped at least one meal a week due to financial reasons.
To address this issue, CCEP is donating 10 cents to SecondBite from each purchase of any Mount Franklin product sold at Coles stores nationally, from 26 June to 30 July, up to a maximum of $200,000.
SecondBite collects surplus food from growers, manufacturers and Coles supermarkets, to distribute across over 1,000 charity partners nationally to feed hungry Australians in need. Every dollar donated enables SecondBite to provide up to five meals.
Since 2023, CCEP’s partnership with Coles has allowed the company to donate the equivalent of one million meals. This year, they are aiming to increase this, with a target to donate the equivalent of 650,000 meals via the Mount Franklin promotion.
CCEP Australia vice president of at home sales, Jarrad Mortimer, said that the company has a longstanding commitment to doing what it can to give back to the community.
“As many Aussies are doing it tough, we’re proud to once again partner with Coles to donate valuable funds to SecondBite to support those who need it most,” he said.
SecondBite’s mission is to ensure good food gets to people who need it most, rather than to landfill. The food it rescues helps vulnerable segments of the community, such as the homeless, refugees and asylum seekers, families in crisis, elderly people, and those on low income.
Since the appointment of new CEO, Daniel Moorfield, in September 2023, SecondBite has focused on growth. The company scaled up its Queensland presence last November, enabling it to double its food rescue ability in the state.
SecondBite also announced a merger with non-profit kitchen organisation, FareShare, in May this year, which will come into effect on 1 July. This decision will allow the companies to expand their efforts in the food relief sector, and provide more aid to Australians in need.
SecondBite CEO, Daniel Moorfield, said that the company has seen first hand the impact that cost of living is having on Australians, with demand for support increasing.
“The funds raised through the partnership with CCEP and Coles will help us provide vital food in the form of cooked meals, food hampers and community pantries at a time when our research shows Australians are needing it most,” he said.
Coles has supported SecondBite’s food relief efforts since 2011, and in that time has donated more than 125 million kilograms of unsold, edible food to the not-for-profit organisation.
Australians can get involved and show their support by purchasing Mount Franklin in-store or online at Coles until 30 July. Donations can also be made directly to SecondBite via its website, secondbite.org.
