Disadvantaged and homeless South Australians have now received over 50,000 meals from the Adelaide Convention Centre (ACC) through its partnerships with Foodbank SA and OzHarvest Adelaide.

The Adelaide Convention Centre’s partnership with Foodbank SA is entering its fourth year, with the Centre being the first non-food manufacturing company in South Australia to regularly donate to the charity.

The ground breaking partnership has been acknowledged with a South Australian Governor’s Award.

The OzHarvest Adelaide partnership started just over 12 months ago and since then the Centre has donated more than 11,000 meals.

ACC was one of OzHarvest Adelaide first partners in South Australia and helped the organisation with its first trial food drop.

ACC Chief Executive Officer Alec Gilbert said the Centre is privileged to partner with Foodbank SA and OzHarvest Adelaide to tackle hunger among disadvantaged South Australians.

“The Centre saw an opportunity to build upon its partnership with Foodbank SA to also support OzHarvest Adelaide because it gave us a way to put spare meals from an unexpected drop in numbers at our events to good use,” said Mr Gilbert.

“Our food is prepared by award-winning chefs, it’s delicious and highly nutritious, and Centre staff and management are delighted to be able to assist the community in this way.

“Meals are prepared fresh by the Centre for each client event with any leftover meals collected by OzHarvest Adelaide within two hours.

“Foodbank SA works a little differently. We prepare and freeze surplus soups and meals from events when we have unexpected drop in numbers.

“The frozen meals are stored in a warehouse by Foodbank SA before distribution to welfare agencies who supply the meals to South Australians in need.

“This not only helps people in need but has the added benefit of keeping the food out of landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption.

“Over the last three years, we have donated over 50,000 meals to OzHarvest Adelaide and Foodbank SA, which equates to more than 15,000 kilograms of food and savings of 2,166,913 litres of water normally used to breakdown the food in landfill and 30,000 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere.

“The Centre can produce thousands of meals every day so we take the responsibility of food waste and food safety very seriously.

“The partnerships were developed after careful planning with the Department of Health to ensure best practice and compliance with food safety laws.”

FoodbankSA CEO Richard Pagliaro said the Adelaide Convention Centre have been a wonderful support of FoodbankSA.

“Our welfare agency customers are always very excited when we advise them of a delivery of delicious food from the Centre.

“As soon as we tell our clients of its availability it goes within the day. Food is provided to kitchens for the homeless that include Baptist Church Westcare, Bread and Roses, Vincentian Centre and Hutt Street.

“They love this food as it makes a big difference to what they are able to offer their clients.”

OzHarvest Founder Ronni Kahn said the Adelaide Convention Centre and Executive Chef Tze Khaw have been fantastic supporters of food rescue.

“Their whole ethos and dedication toward food waste and sustainability is a wonderful role model to the entire food industry,” said Ms Kahn.

“And not only do they support us practically by donating their excess food daily, but also supported us recently at the Tasting Australia festival by making delicious lemon tarts for us to sell as a fundraiser.”

The partnerships with Foodbank SA and OzHarvest Adelaide form part of a broader strategy to reduce food waste including the Centre’s own worm farm which keeps organic waste out of landfill.