Kroger launches expanded dairy rescue program
The Kroger Family of Companies in the US has launched an expanded Dairy Rescue Program, designed to support children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic through the summer months.
In partnership with its dairy cooperative suppliers and farmers across the Midwest and South, Kroger will process and donate about 200,000 gallons of additional milk to Feeding America food banks and community organizations through the end of August, uplifting its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative.
Kroger’s Centennial Dairy partnership in Atlanta, GA, with Dairy Farmers of America, to direct 24,000 half-gallons of milk to support health care workers and first responders in Augusta, Macon and Savannah, GA, during the pandemic over the next month.
The Dairy Rescue Program is expanding on an existing partnership model between Kroger and its dairy cooperative suppliers to direct more fluid milk to food-insecure communities.
Through the expanded program, during the pandemic, dairy cooperatives will donate surplus milk normally sold to restaurants, schools and hotels, while Kroger will donate the processing and packaging of the donated milk. Additionally, in some areas, Kroger's logistics team will also donate the transportation of the milk to local food banks.
The expansion of Kroger's Dairy Rescue Program builds on the existing partnerships with the Michigan Milk Producers Association and Dairy Farmers of America, which already donate a combined 129,900 gallons throughout the year.
Through the expanded program, Kroger's dairy processing plants and suppliers will be donating an additional 50,000 gallons of milk per month to local food banks and community organizations. Feeding America member food banks and other partners will help transport the gallons and half-gallons to local hunger relief agencies.
From May through August, four of Kroger's manufacturing facilities will process the rescued milk to benefit several food bank organizations and communities.
Tamarack Farms, in partnership with Dairy Farmers of America, will donate milk to benefit the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, YMCA Van Buren, and the Salvation Army in Columbus, OH; New Beginnings in Youngstown, OH; and the West Ohio Food Bank in Lima, OH.
Kroger Michigan Dairy, in partnership with the Michigan Milk Producers Association, will donate rescued milk to Michigan food banks supported by Food Bank Council of Michigan.
Winchester Farms Dairy, in partnership with Dairy Farmers of America, will donate milk to benefit Feeding America Kentucky's Heartland in Elizabethtown, KY; Dare to Care in Louisville, KY; God's Pantry Food Bank in Lexington, KY; and the Freestore Foodbank in Cincinnati, OH. Transportation will be donated by Penske Logistics.
Vandervoort's Dairy, in partnership with Select Milk Producers, will donate milk to benefit the Tarrant Area Food Bank in Fort Worth, TX and the Houston Food Bank in Houston, TX. Transportation will be donated by Quickway Carriers.
Noosa helps Feeding America
Another US company, noosa yoghurt, based in Bellevue, Colorado, is donating 1.5m meals to Feeding America to support their efforts to provide for those in need right.
In addition, the brand is donating more than 11,000 yogurts to the Food Bank of the Rockies and more than 13,000 yogurts to local children’s hospitals to support their efforts during this time.
Stonyfield donations
To help bring relief to communities in the US, Stonyfield Organic is donating product to aid local organizations, first responders and non-profits.
Since March 16, the brand has been expanding its community donation program to donate more than 122,000 organic yogurt samples to more than 20 donation sites across New Hampshire and greater New England, including hospitals, medical centers, food banks, non-profit organizations and other local businesses.
Stonyfield and neighbor, Pete & Gerry’s Organic Eggs have also teamed up to swap eggs and yogurt to feed each other’s plant teams working to keep products on shelves for consumers amid the pandemic.
Yili helps in the Netherlands
Chinese dairy company Yili has stepped up its activities against coronavirus in Europe. The Yili Innovation Center Europe has donated 10,000 medical KN95 masks to the Utrecht Safety Region.
"There is still a major shortage of all types of protective equipment. The situation for hospitals is improving, but there are still insufficient supplies for general practitioners. The masks donated by Yili are much appreciated and will soon be available in general Province of Utrecht can be used," the purchasing manager of the Safety Organization for the Province of Utrecht said.
Gerrit Smit, managing director of Yili Innovation Center Europe, said, "Our hearts go out to everyone who suffers from this pandemic. This is a painful and disorienting experience, and solidarity is the only weapon with which the virus can be overcome.
"At Yili our staff stands firmly next to the Dutch population and the rest of the world to meet this challenge."
Yili has also joined the International Humanitarian Fund for COVID-19 set up by the Chinese Red Cross. To meet the urgent demand for medical supplies, the company is working with producers to increase production capacity while working with embassies, international Red Cross offices and non-profit organizations in affected countries to ensure essential supplies can be shipped quickly to different regions.
In the midst of the ongoing global outbreak, Yili has purchased medical supplies to send to Thailand, Indonesia, Uruguay and Iraq to support local relief efforts.
Cutline: Yili Supports Netherlands Medical Communities in the Fight against COVID-19.
