BerryWorld And FareShare Turn Surplus Berries Into Thousands Of Meals

A simple change to the packing process at Emery Soft Fruits in Hampshire has enabled significant volumes of surplus berries to be rescued and redistributed, in a model that could be adopted by other BerryWorld UK growers.

Soft fruit is notoriously difficult to salvage due to its short shelf life, but BerryWorld UK and food redistribution charity FareShare have found a practical solution. Each packing table at Emery Soft Fruits now has a lined crate positioned on the bottom level, ready to collect any surplus or out-of-spec berries. Instead of going to waste, the fruit is sent directly to FareShare’s Southern Central warehouse in Southampton, where it is distributed to local charities.

Emery Soft Fruits managing director James Emery said: “It’s truly wonderful that we can take something that would otherwise go to waste and repurpose it to help so many people. It’s something we’re genuinely proud of.”

The system, introduced earlier this year, has already proved highly effective and will remain in place for the rest of the season. BerryWorld and FareShare are now exploring how the initiative could be replicated with other growers across different regions. Emma Brown, head of fresh produce at FareShare, said she hoped the practice would encourage more growers to get involved.

Simon Ryan, regional manager at FareShare Southern Central, confirmed that more than 80 local charities have already benefited from the initiative. “Almost 50kg of fresh strawberries have been distributed and charities now really look forward to their deliveries of local Hampshire strawberries,” he said.

BerryWorld UK has been partnering with FareShare since 2020. To date, its growers have diverted more than 750 tonnes of fruit to the charity, equating to almost 1.8 million meals for people in need.

This season, favourable weather has delivered consistent volumes of British strawberries. “We’ve seen a wonderfully even crop from our growers Emery Soft Fruits, Withers Farm, Tasker Partnership, Busby Partners, and Winterwood,” said Paul Avery, commercial director at BerryWorld UK. “When volumes do spike, we work side by side with FareShare to turn seasonal abundance into opportunity, not waste.”

That work is crucial as demand for support continues to grow. FareShare reports that 51 per cent of its network charities expect demand to rise during the summer holidays, when many families face extra financial pressures. Fresh fruit is especially valued as a healthy option for children during this period.

Historically, FareShare has received greater volumes of surplus vegetables, particularly root crops with a longer shelf life. Brown explained that crop flushes of fruit and other produce still present challenges, but closer links with growers and packers can make a difference: “Increasing direct access to growers would enable us to achieve even greater impact.”

The short shelf life of berries makes speed and coordination essential. BerryWorld UK’s technical director, Stefan Rusev, said: “Soft fruit’s ‘quality countdown’ begins the moment it is picked. The task is to align that clock with transport, chill chain and FareShare. Sharing estimates with FareShare, keeping surplus cool, and coordinating loads from our nationwide growers helps us move more berries efficiently. Costs can be a barrier, so we stay as streamlined as possible, winning extra shelf life and making every punnet count.”