Community Shop Swarcliffe has officially opened and will provide hundreds of local people with access to discounted surplus food and household items, as well as affordable hot meals, skills workshops and further learning opportunities.

The new store is the 14th in Community Shop’s network of social supermarkets, each of which tackles the root causes of food insecurity in communities experiencing social inequality, offering members a hand-up, not just a handout.

This latest store opened thanks to the support of Leeds-based Asda, who have supported Community Shop’s other stores for over a decade through the donation of surplus products. Asda provided funding to convert the Swarcliffe building into Community Shop’s unique three space format and will continue to donate stock to provide the community with access to quality food.

Since its inception in 2013, Community Shop has supported over 73,000 families through this model, embedding resilience within communities and improving peoples’ circumstances for the long-term. Community Store has saved members over £50 million on their regular food shops, whilst the Community Hubs have delivered more than 218,000 development programmes and Community Kitchens have fed over 880,000 children for free.

Community Shop Swarcliffe is made up of three distinct but interconnected spaces – Community Store, Community Hub and Community Kitchen. The store will provide members with access to deeply discounted food and essentials, including fruit, vegetables and bread for only 20p. The profits from the store will be reinvested into Community Hub which will deliver life-changing holistic support and development, empowering people across the local community to develop their own capabilities and deliver a positive future for themselves, providing members with the personal tools they need to improve their own circumstances and address the causes of their food insecurity, in a supportive, safe environment. To complete the interconnected spaces, Community Shop Swarcliffe will have a Community Kitchen, a café that enables people to connect with others and learn through food, as well as providing home-cooked meals for the community with kids eating free every day.

Kris Comerford, Chief Commercial Officer at Asda, said: “As a Leeds-based business, we’re excited to be supporting the local community in Swarcliffe through our work with the new Community Shop. Through discounted products and the learning opportunities on offer, we hope this store can provide life-changing support and make a lasting difference to those in the area.”

Gary Stott, Executive Chairman of Community Shop, commented: “For the past 12 years, Community Shop has not only provided our members with access to deeply discounted goods but also delivered life-changing programmes and holistic support so that our members develop their own capabilities and deliver a positive future for themselves. We’re delighted to continue our mission, empowering individuals, families, and communities across the Leeds area and I thank Asda for their support in helping us open this new store.”

Councillor Mary Harland, Leeds City Council’s executive member for communities, customer service and community safety, said: “I am delighted that a new Community Shop has opened in Swarcliffe. As a Council we remain committed to tackling poverty and inequality and so initiatives such as this are a key part of helping us support residents while at the same time reducing the amount of food going to landfill.”

The store operates on a free membership basis and will be open to those on means-tested benefits who live in the local area.

Ample, the marketplace for farm surplus, teams up with award-winning logistics company Oakland International to build a kitchen that will produce millions of delicious and nutritious meals for schools and hospitals using surplus food.

The problem: Fresh produce is treated like a pariah – dumped, hidden and destroyed
Up to 15% of all food grown in the UK never leaves the farm1, mainly because it doesn’t fit cosmetic requirements demanded by supermarkets. This equates to over 10 million meals every day – more than enough to end food poverty. And farmers, obliged to deliver what consumers want, don’t get paid for produce that doesn’t make the grade. Where does it go? Most is being ploughed in, burned or disposed of as waste.

The Solution: Ample Kitchen
Building on the success of Ample Marketplace, launched in 2024, Ample Kitchen will utilise these surpluses to produce millions of high-value meals, and at the same time ensure that farmers are paid a fair price for their great British produce.
Drawing on Oakland’s expertise and resources we will build a dedicated production facility near Redditch to produce high quality, nutritious and delicious meals using surplus ingredients. Ample Kitchen will have the capacity to produce a million meals every month, blast frozen to extend the life of produce that would otherwise go to waste. We will oer a range of family favourites and classic dishes and components that appeal to a broad audience, such as vegan lasagne, fish pie, chicken and leek pie, cauliflower/squash cheese and root vegetable gratin; packaged in both individual and catering variants.

This serves several cost-sensitive markets including school meal programmes, community outlets and the NHS, as well as direct to consumers. Ample meals will also be available to purchase directly and to donate to social causes fighting poverty, including our charity partners such as FareShare and The Felix Project. Our take on BOGOF is to buy one and GIVE one free.

Partners: Ample + Oakland
Ample is a startup innovator that enables British farmers to sell their fresh, tasty produce to sustainably-minded businesses in the food industry including restaurants, wholesalers, manufacturers, caterers and charities.
Oakland International is an award-winning full service logistics business with a reputation for innovation through sustainability, servicing retail, wholesale, discount and convenience markets in the UK and Ireland.
Leon Aarts, food advocate and Ample Co-Founder said, “We are really excited to be launching Ample Kitchen because it will demonstrate a sustainable way to address our food chain crisis. We can’t bear to see good food go to waste, especially when we all know how important it is to act and mitigate climate change. Together with our amazing partners at Oakland we are bringing nutritious and delicious British food to students and patients at keen prices.”

Dean Attwell, Co-Founder of Oakland International commented, “At Oakland, we know our purpose extends beyond job creation and profit and measure our success by the impact made in the many communities that make us who we are. We are delighted to partner with Ample to support this ambitious project to establish a dedicated industrial-scale kitchen that will provide high-quality food that will be really appreciated by schools and hospitals.”

Additional Information:
Ample is a commercial business that utilises the discipline of commercial practice to create social impact. Our vision is a world where there is no such thing as food waste.
The idea for the company originated during the Covid pandemic, with the founders working to get food to vulnerable communities. Ample is commied to help solve the food crisis by saving hundreds of thousands of tonnes of farm surplus by ensuring it is identified, sold and consumed. We ensure that farmers get paid fairly, and buyers get a great deal.

Ample Marketplace, launched in 2024 enables farmers to easily sell their surplus produce online where Ample markets it to buyers in the food and catering industry. Hassle-free logistics are built-in to ensure food is delivered on time and in perfect condition.
Food is a precious resource, and Ample enables buyers and sellers to enhance their sustainability by redirecting food away from waste disposal, animal feed and landfill, and stimulating local food economies, as well as creating good deals for a fair return.

Photo resources are available on request.

Contact for more information: Steve Thomas, steve@ample.shop, or 07968 904007

Arco, the UK and Ireland’s leading safety expert, opens its doors on a cutting-edge Customer Discovery Centre, marking a bold investment designed to transform customer experience and drive industry innovation.

This state-of-the-art facility brings together product expertise, advanced safety training, and industry collaboration under one roof. Designed to engage with customers and suppliers, the Discovery Centre showcases Arco’s integrated safety solutions featuring its independent UKAS and SATRA accredited Product Assurance Lab with a dedicated space for product innovation.

As part of this investment, Arco has also expanded its training offering with a brand-new practical training facility, broadening its national coverage of training centres for workers in the highest risk industries. Specialising in confined space and working at height ‘hands-on’ training alongside a multitude of classroom-based courses, this Safety Services centre of excellence increases accessibility to critical safety education.

With three flexible learning spaces, innovative displays, and cutting-edge technology, the Discovery Centre is designed to adapt to the needs of customers and colleagues alike, making it a premier destination for training, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing.

Now operational, customers can explore the latest advancements in safety, PPE and workwear, undertake training courses and receive expert guidance on product selection and development under one roof.

CEO of Arco, Guy Bruce said: “We’re thrilled to open our new state of the art Customer Discovery Centre. It’s our way of giving customers fresh inspiration and ultimate safety confidence day in day out.

“By investing in world-class facilities and smarter ways to engage with our customers, this is more than an upgrade to our services, it’s a strategic shift in how our customers interact with Arco and how our safety solutions are developed, shared, and experienced. The future of safety is here, and this immersive space truly demonstrates the value available to all customers when they have the best in the safety business at their side. We’re looking forward to hosting our customers and partners here for years to come.”

To arrange a visit to the new innovation centre, please contact simonbrentnall@bfff.co.uk

Recently WTW joined as BFFF members, their recent survey shows 80% of directors and officers consider health and safety risks to be very important or extremely important to their organisation.

The latest Directors and Officers Liability Insurance Survey by Willis found that physical workplace risks were deemed the most important by 43% of respondents, followed by employee mental health and wellbeing consequences stemming from work (28%) and from personal matters (12%).

For the first time since 2018 civil litigation and third party claims were included among the top seven concerns, with 63% of directors and officers surveyed considering these significant risks to their Directors and Officers. Smaller organisations (<$50 million in revenue) and those with revenues between $1 and $5 billion mentioned litigation more often. The largest organisations surveyed (>$5 billion in revenue) included diversity, equity and inclusion as well as bribery and corruption as top risks, while excluding the financial distress, bankruptcy and insolvency concerns of smaller organisations.

Climate change is no longer considered a top seven risk in several regions, including Asia, North America and the Middle East. In contrast, diversity, equity and inclusion, a risk that was included in the survey for the first time this year, has made its way into the top seven for Great Britain, North America and Africa. Social risks as a whole feature prominently in the list of concerns and, when looked at over a five-year period, the increase in concern is notable. For example, breach of human rights within or by business operations has risen from 23% of responders considering it a very or extremely important concern in 2021 to 62% in 2025. Similarly, concern about supplier business practices has risen from 27% in 2021 to 59% in 2025.

In general, there is a strong alignment between perceived material risks and board expertise and priorities. However, there is a notable exception when it comes to cybersecurity and data privacy, with many boards indicating more time is needed. Data loss and cyber-attacks, including extortion, are considered to be very important or extremely important for 77% of those surveyed. Artificial intelligence lags behind (only 51% of respondents consider it to be very or extremely important and considered by the fewest number of respondents to be material to the business while also being the lowest ranked issue on which respondents considered the board to have the relevant expertise), but this perception may change in the future as new use cases and regulations develop.

Angus Duncan, global D&O coverage specialist at Willis, said: “The latest survey results underscore the diverse challenges directors and officers face today, highlighting how fraught the landscape has become. Despite increasing concerns over litigation risks, cost remains the dominant driver for D&O insurance purchasing decisions. This trend persists even as regulatory scrutiny and shareholder activism increase global liability exposures. By taking a proactive approach, companies can optimise their D&O coverage while mitigating financial and reputational risk. Our data helps clients anticipate emerging risks before they become serious exposures.”

Magnavale Ltd is proud to announce the official opening of Magnavale Easton. The £140 million investment has resulted in a facility with 101,000 frozen pallet spaces, making it the largest single cold store ever built in the UK.

Officially opened its doors on the 24th of March 2025, the development regenerated a long-standing food production site near Grantham, Lincolnshire. The state-of-the-art cold storage warehouse will contribute significantly to UK food security, while setting a new benchmark for sustainable food logistics.

Possibly the UK’s first fully renewable-energy-powered cold storage facility, Magnavale Easton demonstrates the company’s commitment to sustainability and operational efficiency.
With 101,000 cutting-edge fully automated pallet positions and a high-bay, rack-cad storage design, the facility ensures seamless storage and distribution for food manufacturers, retailers, and suppliers.
“Magnavale Easton is more than just a storage facility; it is a transformative development for the UK’s food supply chain,” said Amanda Cogan, COO of Magnavale. “By integrating renewable energy, advanced automation, and a comprehensive portfolio of value-added services, we are helping our customers cut costs, risk and complexity from their supply chains and contributing sustainable long-term growth and investment into the local Lincolnshire economy.”

A Strategic Hub for UK Food Logistics
Magnavale Easton is strategically located off the A1, between Grantham and Peterborough, offering efficient distribution access across the UK.
In addition to its industry-leading automated cold storage capabilities, Magnavale Easton will offer a comprehensive suite of value-added services, including blast freezing, contract packing, and much more from the site.

A Vision of the Future of British Food Supply

This significant milestone is part of a long-term vision of regeneration for the site, which used to be a major McCain Foods production site. The Easton site will become an integrated food production, storage, and distribution hub, supporting manufacturers and retailers with end-to-end cold chain solutions.

The next steps in this mission are already underway. In February 2025, the site was granted planning permission for further exciting developments including a biodigester and a large food production facility.
Magnavale Easton is now open and operating bringing efficient, safe, and sustainable cold chain solutions that will revolutionise food supply chains locally and nationally.

Magnavale is one of the UK’s leading temperature-controlled food storage specialists, with four strategically located cold storage facilities.

Leading the way within the sector, Magnavale aims to create sustainable supply chains for its partners by cutting cost, risk, and complexity in the cold chain.

Rapidly growing Magnavale have developed both a large 25,000 pallet extension to their facilities in Chesterfield and a 101,000 pallet, fully automated cold store in Easton, Lincolnshire which opened in March 2025.

Sadel Group, who own Magnavale, is pushing the Easton Food Hub project forward as part of its operational real estate development plans. Sadel Group, a Luxembourg based family office, will extend the innovative “Food Hub” model to new sites across the UK and Europe. The Food Hub model integrates food production and processing with the supply chain, reducing cost, risk, and complexity in the food chain.

For further information, contact:
Shane Meharg
PR@magnavale.co.uk

Brakes, the UK’s leading foodservice wholesaler, has launched a groundbreaking new initiative to support Britain’s independent food businesses.

‘Ways to Save’ is one of the largest programmes of support that Brakes has ever run and offers a range of measures aimed at helping under-pressure food businesses, at a time when many are under threat from rising employment costs in April.

The programme launches with Brakes’ most comprehensive cash-back offer to date, giving customers the opportunity to get money back on more than 500 Sysco Classic products, plus additional cashback extras providing up to 20% on a range of Sysco and branded products.

The ‘Ways to Save’ campaign will also provide supporting materials to help customers save money, for example with ways to reduce kitchen waste, ideas to reduce costs and low-cost recipe inspiration. A ‘Ways to Save’ logo will feature prominently on the website guiding customers to products and support solutions that will help them save money.

Paul Nieduszynski, CEO for Sysco GB, said: “We have invested in a huge programme of activity to support independent businesses when they need it most. There are many and varied challenges facing food companies and we’re playing our part by launching our biggest ever cashback campaign.

“We’re confident that the scale of the programme means that every single independent business will benefit, with cash in their pocket, available almost immediately so that they can use it straight away.”

Ends

For further information please contact Kevin Coles – kevin@fifthdimensionpr.com or 07776026012

About Sysco 

Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. With more than 76,000 colleagues, the company operates 340 distribution facilities worldwide and serves approximately 730,000 customer locations. For fiscal year 2024 that ended July 1, 2024, the company generated sales of more than $78 billion. Information about our Sustainability program, including Sysco’s 2023 Sustainability Report and 2023 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Report, can be found at: www.sysco.com.

Sysco in Great Britain 

As Britain’s leading national broadline supplier, Brakes delivers the highest quality fresh and frozen food and ingredients from its nationwide network of distribution centres to some of the nation’s most famous pubs and restaurants, as well as schools, caterers, care homes and hospitals.  It has the biggest range of award-winning products in foodservice.

kff and Medina Foodservice both offer a regional broadline service with a comprehensive range, delivered with a passion for customer service and local knowledge.

Sysco fresh businesses in Great Britain are led by Fresh Direct, which is the leading specialist supplier of locally and globally sourced fresh produce and dairy across Great Britain, bringing the best of the seasons to chefs’ menus, as well as the finest sourced fresh fish and seafood from M&J Fresh Seafood, as part of a consolidated delivery for many corporate customers.  The very best ingredients for chefs are available from fine food specialist Wild Harvest.

Brakes Catering Equipment provides commercial catering equipment for a variety of catering establishments and their services include a bespoke design service.

Specialist convenience supplier, Country Choice, completes the group and is Britain’s leading supplier of in-store bakery and retail foodservice products.

Sysco has 8,400 colleagues servicing more than 20,000 customers from 30 distribution centres across Great Britain.

Notes to Editors

Brusco Food Group is a trusted supplier of food products and quality ingredients to manufacturers, food service and retail.

For over 30 years Brusco has been searching the globe for flavoursome ingredients, produced by reputable suppliers who value quality and partnership. Brusco aspires to be the partner of choice for customers seeking value-adding, long-term supplier relationships built on a foundation of quality, integrity and service.

For further information on this news release, contact Jacqui Wren, Group Head of People for Brusco on the contact details below:

Telephone: 01386 761 555
Email: jacqui.wren@brusco.co.uk