AIB FoodCloud Meals Programme impact on community groups in Ireland
The impact of the partnership is also reflected in FoodCloud’s annual survey of a range of community partners including family resource centres around the country
Print5 June 2025
FoodCloud has recently announced a successful first year of the AIB FoodCloud Community Meals Programme, an initiative that is transforming surplus food into freshly prepared meals for community and charity groups in Ireland.
Results show that this innovative programme has delivered an impact with over 5,000 ready-to-eat meals served directly to people through FoodCloud’s network of community partners.
Community connection
By adding to the traditional redistribution of surplus food, the programme builds stronger community connections, with new research proving that shared food can increase the levels of engagement with local support services.
“The AIB FoodCloud Community Meals Programme is a powerful evolution of our mission to ensure no good food goes to waste,” said Aoibheann O’Brien, FoodCloud co-founder and director of development.
“With AIB’s support, we’re reaching more charities and community groups across Ireland at a time when food insecurity is growing as the cost of living continues to rise.” AIB, a key partner to FoodCloud since 2018, has been supporting the programme as part of its wider commitment to sustainability and community impact.
“AIB’s purpose is to empower people to build a sustainable future.” said Barry Field, corporate affairs director at AIB.
“We are proud to support the AIB FoodCloud Community Meals Programme, which aligns with our commitment to fostering sustainable communities and reducing food waste.
“By collaborating with FoodCloud, we are helping to ensure that surplus food reaches those who need it most, reinforcing our dedication to social inclusion and environmental responsibility.
“I want to commend all the volunteers, including the many from AIB, who have contributed so much to this programme through their time and shared effort in providing such a valuable service for the inspiring community and charity groups who work with FoodCloud.”
The partnership between AIB and FoodCloud overall has helped redistribute over 15,000 (15,162) tonnes of food, which is the equivalent of feeding the population of Ireland nearly 7 times, preventing 50,000 approximate tonnes of CO2-eq from going to waste.
This next phase of impact is being powered by FoodCloud Kitchen, which is preparing nutritious meals from rescued ingredients.
Since its launch, the AIB FoodCloud Community Meals Programme and FoodCloud Kitchen has significantly increased its shared social impact by supporting charities with limited cooking capacity, expanding volunteer opportunities, and providing communities with practical solutions for sustainable food practices.
The impact of the partnership is also reflected in FoodCloud’s annual survey of a range of community partners including family resource centres around the country.
The findings show clear benefits to incorporating surplus food into core services.
The survey shows a 6% increase in the number of organisations introducing new services as a result of working with surplus food, growing from 64% to 70%.
The environmental benefits are clear too, with a ‘use-it-all rate’ of 70% reported in 2025, demonstrating that surplus food is both valuable and effectively utilised.
Read more: Deliveroo Ireland partners with FoodCloud to tackle food waste
© 2025, ShelfLife by Ryan Brennan
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