Retailer Pick n Pay joined arms with long-time partner FoodForward SA to pack meals for the needy on Mandela Day in five cities around the country.

FoodForward SA addresses hunger in South Africa by recovering quality edible surplus food from the consumer goods supply chain and distributing it to community organisations which support the poor.

Pick n Pay is FoodForward SA’s largest retail partner and last year contributed 882 tons of food worth R35 million which went to 2 750 beneficiary organisations providing daily meals to 985 000 people each year.

Pick n Pay staff members joined the NGO in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Gqeberha and Rustenburg to pack meals. 

“Our partnerships to redistribute food reduces our levels of food waste and supports thousands of families to be more secure and contribute to a stable socio-economic environment,” said Vaughan Pierce, head of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) at Pick n Pay. “We are happy to be involved on the ground level on Mandela Day and support the work which FoodForward SA does daily.”

PnP asap! is also supporting Mandela Day through orders placed on the app by customers. “These orders will be matched by our Feed the Nation Foundation and will be delivered to charitable organisations before the end of July,” Pierce said.

Customers wanting to donate can still do so on the Pick n Pay asap! on-demand app.

Despite the heavy rain and cold in Cape Town, 150 pensioners at Lilly Haven in Bonteheuwel were warmed up with a Mandela Day breakfast provided by Pick n Pay.

“We continue to play our part to support and assist our communities and use our network to give those shoppers who are able to afford something extra, the opportunity to help out, concludes Pierce.