To date Foodbuy has spent over £8.9 million with social enterprises, surpassing the initial goal of £5 million. Following the success of the previous Pitch Social event at the KIA Oval in London in 2022, this year's event expanded its reach to the north of England.
Held in March, at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, the Pitch Social event was attended by over 100 people and featured 18 social enterprises, B-Corps, minority-owned businesses and other organisations with strong social and environmental values.
Partners were invited to pitch their business to a panel consisting of Foodbuy colleagues and clients, highlighting their ‘exceptional’ work in their respective fields, with the opportunity to become listed as Foodbuy suppliers upon successful selection.
Harinder Singh, Foodbuy’s head of sustainability and compliance, said: “Our recent Pitch Social event was a success and provided the opportunity to engage with numerous suppliers, gaining insight into their social missions.
“We believe in celebrating diversity within our supplier base and meeting the increasing demand from clients for innovative, regional solutions that support their sustainability targets. We are excited about the potential to make a meaningful difference through our Pitch Social events and developing ongoing partnerships.”
Since the inaugural event in 2022, Foodbuy has onboarded six suppliers with strong social and environmental values. They include:
- The Uncommon: an English winemaker known for pioneering sustainable formats in award-winning sparkling wine production
- Page & Bloom: offering handcrafted paper flowers made from recycled paper
- The Glasshouse: which provides horticultural training and employment for female ex-offenders
- One Water: supporting sustainable clean water and sanitation services in impoverished regions
- Tap Social: a craft brewery that employs prisoners and prison leavers