FareShare and Felix Project merge to “scale up food provision for the UK’s most vulnerable communities”

The UK’s two largest food redistribution charities, FareShare and The Felix Project, are merging to confront the twin crises of food waste and food insecurity.

The decision comes at a time when 10.7 million tonnes of food are wasted in the UK each year, while 14 percent of households face food insecurity. Demand for support is rising, and research shows that eight in ten frontline organisations fear they cannot keep up.

By joining forces, the two charities aim to rescue greater volumes of surplus food, expand distribution, and deliver stronger campaigning influence. The new organisation will adopt the Felix name, with a refreshed brand identity introduced gradually.

Charlotte Hill OBE, currently Chief Executive of The Felix Project and who will lead the merged charity, said:

Our vision is a nation where no good food is wasted and nobody goes hungry. Bringing together brilliant colleagues, volunteers and partners from both organisations gives us an unprecedented opportunity to scale up food provision for the UK’s most vulnerable communities.”

Kris Gibbon-Walsh, CEO of FareShare and now Deputy Chief Executive, added:

This merger will enable us do so much more to tackle food waste at source, whilst we continue to support our brilliant independent network partners through increased food volumes, funding and operational support. We will also build on FareShare’s 30-year legacy of connecting good food with communities nationwide.”

Scaling impact through shared expertise

FareShare, founded over three decades ago, works with 17 regional partners to recover surplus food from the supply chain and redistribute it to more than 8,000 charities across the country. In 2024/25, it provided the equivalent of 148 million meals, with independent analysis estimating that every £1 donated creates £13 of social and economic value.

The Felix Project, launched in 2016 by Justin and Jane Byam Shaw in memory of their son, runs four depots across London serving 1,200 community organisations. Its central kitchen turns surplus into 5,000 meals each day. Since 2020, Felix has also acted as FareShare’s London delivery partner.

Together, the charities have already demonstrated their campaigning strength, having successfully lobbied for a £15 million government fund to divert food surplus from farms. By uniting, they say they can both expand operational capacity and increase their influence on national policy.

Gavin Darby, Chair of The Felix Project and former President of the Food and Drink Federation, will serve as Vice-Chair of the new board of trustees.

Industry and charity leaders welcome the merger

The Coronation Food Project, established by King Charles two years ago to work with the food industry on scaling redistribution of surplus, welcomed the announcement, highlighting the potential for greater national impact.

The project’s Executive Chair, Dame Martina Milburn, said:

The Coronation Food Project has worked closely with both FareShare and The Felix Project over the past two years. Both charities already collaborate to ensure surplus food reaches communities in need. I am excited to see what more they can achieve as a united organisation. This is very welcome news.”

Simon Roberts, CEO of Sainsbury’s and Chair of IGD, also welcomed the announcement and underlined its importance for food businesses:

At Sainsbury’s, we’ve worked closely with both FareShare and The Felix Project for many years, and their merger marks an important milestone in the fight against food waste and hunger.

By coming together, they’re creating a stronger, more united organisation, one that offers the food industry a clear route to long-term impact and collaboration. This is about more than streamlining processes; it’s about building enduring partnerships that help us do the right thing, not just for today’s communities but for generations to come.”