BFFF member Company Shop not only sponsored two days of the BFFF Business Conference they also contributed to our Sustainability Day on Thursday.

We were joined by Sally Wake, Head of Strategic Relationship, who provided an overview of the role that Company Shop fulfil.

Sally explained that whilst food re-distribution is seen as something quite new, Company Shop have been in existence for 50 years. This provides them with a wealth of experience and knowledge in how surplus food can be used.

Sally explained they see surplus just as ‘good products’ in the ‘wrong place’. Whilst a high percentage of the products sold through the 16 stores need some form of manual intervention to ensure they comply legally, e.g. new labelling, this ensures the product is legally compliant when sold through the member only stores.

Sally also explained the ethos behind the 6 Community Shops all located in some of the most deprived areas of the country. Those shops supported by Company Shop, and a number of industry partners, provide support and food to some of the most vunerable in society. These stores provide a full range of product for their target consumer with low prices of staple food including fresh fruit and vegetables. This is unlike the Company Shop which Sally described as being more like TK Maxx – never sure what you are going to find.

Now owned by Biffa it is clear that Company Shop will go from strength to strength – even now looking at manufacturing operations to identify waste that can be re-distributed by using their knowledge and skills built up over 50 years of doing the right thing.

The presentation from this year’s Frozen Food Business Conference will be made available to all attendees.  If you were not able to purchase a ticket, please contact Siobhan O’Callaghan.