Enterprise Ireland supports FoodCloud with over €500,000 to advance food redistribution
Aiming to reduce emissions across five markets in Ireland, Europe and Africa (Ann Keenan, chairperson, FoodCloud; Jenny Melia, executive director, Enterprise Ireland; Simon Coveney, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment)
FoodCloud has been awarded more than €500,000 research and development (R&D) funding from Enterprise Ireland’s Agile Innovation Fund to further develop its innovative food redistribution platform, Foodiverse. FoodCloud will use this funding to drive its target of an additional 15% increase in food rescued and an additional 8.25 million meals per annum by 2025. The funding supports 14 jobs at FoodCloud.
The company’s tech platform connects retailers, food businesses and restaurants (including Aldi, Booker UK, Dunnes Stores, KFC, Lidl, Nandos, Tesco and Waitrose) that have surplus to food banks, community groups and charities that can use that food. Their aim is to reduce emissions across five markets in Ireland, Europe and Africa.
Enterprise Ireland’s R&D funding will allow FoodCloud to further develop its platform, Foodiverse, to maintain and grow its position as a tool for environmental, social and governance reporting for new/existing domestic and international partners.
Simon Coveney, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, TD, said: “Reducing food loss and food waste is a key step in fighting climate change and in Ireland’s transition to a circular economy. FoodCloud have had a significant impact in tackling the twin issues of food waste and food insecurity to fight climate breakdown and poverty.”
James Clifford, head of engineering, FoodCloud, said: “FoodCloud has redistributed more than 98,000 tonnes of surplus food through its technology platform and physical hubs, which amounts to 235 million meals and the reduction of more than 315,000 tonnes of CO2– equivalent.”
Jenny Melia, executive director, Enterprise Ireland, said: “Enterprise Ireland is investing in digital and climate resilience, and has backed FoodCloud since its early days. A leader in both digital innovation and the fight against climate change, as FoodCloud implements this research and development as part of its growth strategy, we are confident that the business will continue to accelerate impact and deliver tangible solutions to food businesses internationally.”
