COTSWOLD FOOD & DRINK COOPERATIVE TEAMS UP WITH GLOBAL FOOD WASTE APP ‘TOO GOOD TO GO’

COTSWOLD TASTE, the cooperative organisation supporting food and drink producers in and around the Cotswolds, has teamed up with the world’s largest food waste app, Too Good To Go.

Any paid-up food or drink member of Cotswold Taste which routinely has surplus stock can sign up to the app – which aims to reduce food waste – and they will not have to pay an admin fee for the first year. It’s one of many benefits the new board of Cotswold Taste is bringing on stream for cooperative members. 

Nicola Hardy, who is joint secretary of Cotswold Taste and a specialist research consultant in the food and drink sector, said: 

“We are delighted with this new partnership with Too Good To Go, and what it will offer our members going forward. 

“The partnership reflects our commitment to sustainability, reducing food waste and supporting the local food and drink sector.”

Too Good To Go was created six years ago with the aim of creating a movement globally to reduce food waste. It brings together businesses, including shops, cafes, breweries and restaurants with consumers to buy goods which would otherwise go to waste and ultimately harm the planet.

Businesses sign up and offer Magic Bags filled with delicious leftover food which can be bought from those businesses by local consumers at a third of its original retail price. Customers simply pay on the app and collect at an allotted time slot. All of those who interact are known as ‘waste warriors’.

Managing Director of Too Good To Go UK Paschalis Loucaides said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Cotswold Taste to help even more users and local food businesses to fight food waste. To date in the South West, we’ve saved over 830,000 Magic Bags of food from going to waste and I can’t wait to see Cotswold Taste members join this food waste fight. If we’re to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change, reducing food waste is the number one action we can take and so I’m looking forward to seeing the impact we can make together through this collaboration.”      

The partnership is just one of many benefits being planned by the new board of directors of Cotswold Taste. 

Chairman Fiona Scott said: “We have plans to raise our own profile and that of the amazing food and drink sector we have in and around the Cotswolds. 

“We will be holding our first in-person event in the Spring, we’re about to launch a new website and we’re offering membership at just £75 a year from March 1. 

“Given we’re all volunteers, we’re proud of being able to take Cotswold Taste forward as we hopefully ease out of the pandemic.”

Other directors are Dr Richard Baines, who is the principal consultant at Agri-business & Community Development and Caroline Topping of Gap Sales & Marketing Services Ltd based in Cheltenham.

Cotswold Taste was originally created by entrepreneur Nick Waloff, who lived in Lechlade, more than five years ago with a vision of showcasing and supporting the loca food and drink sector, giving it the recognition it deserved. Nick sadly passed away in 2021. 

For more information on Cotswold Taste visit https://cotswoldtaste.co.uk