PepsiCo expands FareShare partnership to tackle food waste and boost UK employability

PepsiCo has announced a major expansion of its long-standing partnership with FareShare, the UK’s leading food redistribution charity. The initiative will help fight food waste and improve employment opportunities in Leicestershire, home of PepsiCo’s Walkers crisps.

Backed by a £210,000 grant from the PepsiCo Foundation, the collaboration will support two key FareShare programmes in 2025. These aim to redirect surplus food from farms and help over 600 people into work.

Funding to fuel food redistribution and job support

The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, focuses on transforming the global food system. By investing in local solutions, it aims to increase access to nutritious food and support community resilience.

The 2025 funding will support two established FareShare programmes:

• Surplus with Purpose – helps farmers and producers across the UK send surplus vegetables to FareShare’s network of 8,000 charities. In 2025 alone, this could provide the equivalent of 550,000 meals. These meals support vital services such as breakfast clubs and after-school activities.
• Leicestershire Employability Programme – offers tailored workshops, mentoring, and job application support. The initiative aims to prepare over 600 people in Leicester for work in the food and retail sectors.

Seven years of impact and counting

Since the start of the partnership in December 2017, PepsiCo has donated more than 2,200 tonnes of surplus and snack products to FareShare. These donations have been transformed into millions of meals for people facing food insecurity.

In the past six months alone, PepsiCo employees have contributed 270 hours of volunteering at FareShare distribution centres, helping sort and deliver food to those who need it most.

Strengthening sustainable food systems

These new efforts support PepsiCo Positive, the company’s global sustainability strategy. In the UK, this includes working closely with over 290 farmers to promote regenerative agriculture practices. By tackling both environmental and social challenges, PepsiCo aims to create a more sustainable and equitable food system.

Industry and charity leaders welcome the news

Jason Richards, SVP and General Manager at PepsiCo UK and Ireland, said:

“We’re proud to have worked with FareShare for over seven years. This new funding will help jobseekers take a step closer to employment while ensuring surplus food reaches those who need it most. We’re also encouraging our growers to take part in the scheme as we push towards a fairer, more sustainable food system.”

Kirsty Ford, Head of Fundraising at FareShare, added:

“We’re thrilled to deepen our partnership with PepsiCo and the PepsiCo Foundation. Their support helps get more fresh, good-to-eat food to people instead of letting it go to waste.”

“This funding also boosts our employability programme, helping more people gain the skills and support they need to enter the workforce.”