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Coca-Cola HBC Hungary has joined the Food Bank convoy again

On mid-October, a long line of trucks today passed through the historic centre of Budapest carrying 33 tonnes of food donated by Hungarian and international food producers and retailers – including Coca-Cola HBC Hungary – to support thousands of people in need. The event, carried out to mark World Food Day, was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Hungarian Food Bank Association for the sixteenth consecutive year.

As well as providing some tangible support, the event aimed to raise awareness around this year’s theme – more sustainability through food-systems transformation by, among other approaches, reducing food loss and waste. Millions of people globally are hungry or undernourished, with many more relying on food banks or emergency food aid, while large quantities of food go to waste every day.

Collaboration is key for this shift to happen and everyone has a role to play. The World Food Day convoy is a good example of joint action across different sectors to fight hunger and malnutrition.

Nyilas Orsolya

We have collaborated with the Hungarian Food Bank Association for years. We regularly provide the organization products that are within expiration date and perfectly suitable for consumption but not allowed to be marketed for some reason. We are happy that we were able to donate over 15,000 litres of soft drinks to the Food Bank already this year. Reducing food waste is essential to making our environment more sustainable.

Orsolya Nyilas Customer & Community Partnership Manager at Coca-Cola HBC Hungary

Consumers can also become part of the change. The food we choose and the way we prepare, cook, store, and dispose of it makes everyone an active participant in the agrifood system. Everyone can influence the market by choosing nutritious and environmentally and socially responsible products, or by buying locally grown and seasonal food, and by reading up on the environmental and social impact of the products we consume. Additionally, household-generated food waste can be better managed through small steps, such as monitoring the expiry dates on our food items, writing shopping lists, careful selection of storage bins and containers, and freezing leftover food instead of throwing it away.

The companies joining the 2021 food convoy are partners of the Hungarian Food Bank Association: ALDI Magyarország Élelmiszer Bt., Auchan Retail Magyarország, Bio-Fungi Kft. ChefGomba, Chef Market Zrt., Coca-Cola HBC Magyarország Kft., Danone Magyarország Kft., Gyermelyi Zrt., Kifli.hu, KOMETA 99 Zrt., Metro Kereskedelmi Kft., Nestlé Hungária Kft., Numil Hungary Tápszerkereskedelmi Kft., Pek-Snack Kft., Penny Market Magyarország, a Pick Szeged Zrt. and Sole-Mizo Zrt. as part of the Bonafarm Csoport, Rauch Hungária Kft., Shell Hungary Zrt. and its partner HAVI Logistics Kft., Tesco-Globál Áruházak Zrt.

About World Food Day (16 October)

Collective action across 150 countries is what makes World Food Day (16 October) one of the most celebrated days in the United Nations calendar. Hundreds of events and outreach activities promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure healthy diets for all. This year’s theme, ‘Our actions are our future’, urges everyone to look into the future we need to build together.