FoodCloud partners report rising demand
A new survey shows 84% of FoodCloud charity partners are facing increased demand, driven mainly by the cost-of-living crisis
Print5 January 2026
A recent survey of FoodCloud’s charity and voluntary partners has revealed that 84% of the organisations are experiencing increased demand from people in need of support, with the cost-of-living crisis cited as the primary factor. Families are facing significant pressure, with charities reporting that they were supporting parents unable to meet the rising cost of feeding their household, particularly over the holidays when children were off school.
An added complexity these organisations are facing is making specialised food available for people with specific dietary requirements, such as older people or others with chronic illnesses or health conditions. Four in ten organisations have encountered difficulties (43%) helping individuals with special dietary requirements and a similar amount (41%) reported challenges supporting people with chronic illnesses or health conditions.
Danone partnership
In light of these challenges, FoodCloud’s partnership with Danone helps to support charities and community groups with nutrition education and access to Danone’s network of nutritionists and dietitians. The partnership aligns with Danone’s mission to ‘bring health through food to as many people as possible’ and has seen the company provide a nutrition education programme as part of FoodCloud’s Community Support Programme, which assists approximately 674 charities and community groups around Ireland with educational resources and training.
Killian Barry, managing director at Danone Ireland said: “Danone’s mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible, and our partnership with FoodCloud is a tangible example of that. By working with charities on the front line, our nutritionists and dietitians can help address specific challenges, from supporting children during school holidays to helping people with chronic illnesses meet their dietary needs. Since the beginning of our partnership, our team has volunteered more than 500 hours and, working together, supported 674 community organisations with training, recipes, and surplus food redistribution, ensuring that nutrition is at the heart of community food support.”
Since partnering with FoodCloud in 2020, Danone has supported the redistribution of 384 tonnes of surplus food, equivalent to over 900,000 meals, and 1,165 approximate tonnes of CO2-eq saved from going to waste. Danone’s team of registered dieticians and nutritionists delivered a number of webinars for charity partners, focusing on nutrition for children, older people and those living with diabetes. A series of recipes have also been developed to help people make nutritious meals with surplus food.
Commenting on the initiative, Neysa deGiorgi, service coordinator, Irish Wheelchair Association, said: “The food we get from the FoodCloud Hub enables our members to experience and cook with wholesome ingredients. We aim to support our members with healthy cooking skills that will carry them through their lives, long after they move on from our service. As the cost of living continues to rise, this initiative makes a big difference to our members’ daily lives. We could not do this without the support from FoodCloud and their partners, for which we and all our members are very grateful.”
Aoibheann O’Brien, co-founder & director of development and innovation at FoodCloud added: “At a time when 84% of our charity partners are experiencing rising demand for food support, the need for practical solutions that also prioritise nutrition has never been greater. Families, older people and those living with chronic health conditions are particularly vulnerable, and our research shows that almost half of community organisations struggle to meet specialised dietary needs. Through the support of our partners, we are able to equip charities with the knowledge and resources they need to ensure that people across Ireland can access food but also support long-term health and wellbeing.”
Read more: AIB FoodCloud Meals Programme impact on community groups in Ireland
© 2026, ShelfLife by Ryan Brennan
Related Articles
Aldi reopens Monread store Naas today →
Followers 0
Fans 0
Followers