Buyers Edge and Produce Alliance
Providing fresh produce to communities disadvantaged by COVID-19
At the beginning of the pandemic, tons of fresh food went to waste as restaurants, hotels, and schools were closed – leaving farmers with nowhere to sell their produce. At the same time, vulnerable populations across the United States were suffering from increased unemployment and rising food insecurity.
To tackle these issues, Buyers Edge Platform, a leading provider of procurement software, group purchasing and data analytics to the food service industry in the United States, secured a grant to support the Produce Alliance (PA) Foundation’s Produce Box program, a charitable organization focused on addressing the impact COVID-19 has had on the agricultural industry, economy, and disadvantaged communities across the country.
In April 2020, with the support of private and public funding, the PA Foundation purchased and delivered 28,000 boxes containing 500,000 pounds of fresh produce to frontline workers.
Given the success of the program and initial support from the Bregal Helps Initiative, PA was able to demonstrate its capabilities to the United States Department of Agriculture to seek extra funding.
Positive Impacts:
- 294,000 meals provided to families and individuals living with food insecurity
