HelloFresh Steps Up Donations to Alleviate Food Insecurity

Extension of existing program will benefit food banks across the country

3/29/2023

HelloFresh is donating 10,000 meals to food banks in addition to what it gives through its already-established hunger relief programs.

Following the discontinuation of additional COVID-era Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, HelloFresh is extending a helping hand to food-insecure consumers through an increase in its “Beyond the Box” program. The company has pledged to provide 100,000 additional meals across many of its brands to food banks and non-profit partners around the country.

The extra meals, which include meal kits, ready-to-heat dinners and sides, will go to food banks including Table to Table in New Jersey, Second Helpings Atlanta in Georgia, Tarrant Area Food Bank in Texas and St. Mary’s Food Bank in Arizona. The meal kit company is also adding a second temporary Community Fresh Market in Colorado, which is an open market-style concept that is open monthly to whoever needs it and offers a variety of fresh produce, proteins and dairy items at no cost.

“While an end to the pandemic is a welcome note, many families continue to face food insecurity, especially with record inflation contributing to higher food costs,” said Jeff Yorzyk, senior director of sustainability for HelloFresh US. “Many people are turning to their local food banks to help fill the void — unfortunately some of which are not equipped for the influx. Our goal is to help our partners put healthy, nutritious food on the tables of as many Americans as possible in this time of need.”

“More than 850,000 people in New Jersey depend on federal food assistance to sustain themselves or their families,” said Amiri Baraka, Jr., chief of staff for the City of Newark. “With inflation so high, individuals are struggling to put food on the table right now. We need to ensure that those who need help have access to it. We’re incredibly grateful for companies like HelloFresh who are partnering with us to fill this critical need.”

The commitment is an extension of HelloFresh’s existing donation programs. Beyond the Box focuses on reducing food waste and creating a more equitable food system for those in need, and the “Meals with Meaning” initiative, which was launched in 2020, has provided more than 4 million free meal kits to individuals in need.

Meanwhile, HelloFresh recently shared that it will keep a focus this year on further enhancing its customer proposition and providing customers with more customization options, as well as prioritizing rollouts to more countries, according to a midterm strategy update revealed during the company’s Capital Markets Day.

Berlin-based HelloFresh operates in 18 international markets. With U.S. offices in New York, Chicago, and Boulder, Colo., the company is No. 50 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top retailers of food and consumables in North America. PG also gave the company a 2022 Impact Award for its ESG efforts.