Supporting Local Communities & Reducing Surplus Food: The Bread and Butter Thing

Recently we had the pleasure of welcoming representatives from The Bread and Butter Thing (TBBT) to our Altitude site. The team were given an insight into our fresh produce operation and were impressed with both the scale of our activity to the sheer variety of fresh produce moving through the facility each day.

About The Bread and Butter Thing:

The Bread and Butter thing (TBBT) is a UK-based food charity that operates over 120 community collection hubs across the North and south of England. Their mission is a simple but powerful one:

• Provide affordable, healthy food to those on low incomes.

• Redistribution of good surplus food.

• Offer a path out of hardship by creating a consistent, dignified support model.

For just £8.50 per week, TBBT members receive a weekly bag of essential groceries, including fresh fruit and vegetables, chilled goods and store cupboard staples. Membership is free and weekly participation is flexible as members opt in or out via text message, allowing the charity to plan and allocate stock efficiently.

While members can’t choose specific food items or make swaps, the incredible value, variety, and quality of the food on offer has made TBBT a lifeline for thousands of households navigating the rising cost of living across the UK.

Making an Impact Through Partnership

To achieve their goals, TBBT works closely with a number of supermarket chains, as well as suppliers, producers, and logistics partners, such as ourselves across the country. The TBBT model is built on collaboration, sustainability, and agility preventing surplus food from becoming waste and delivering it to those who need it the most.

At MWW, we’re proud of our commitment to reducing waste, supporting community initiatives, and ensuring that no good food goes to waste. And with our scale and reach, we’re in a strong position to contribute meaningfully to TBBT’s mission.

How Can We Help?

TBBT accepts all types of food stock—whether ambient, chilled, or fresh—with no minimum weight requirements. The only condition is that items must be within their use-by dates, although goods that are past their best-before date are still accepted.

Where transport is available, same-day collections are often possible, helping to move stock fast and avoid waste.

TBBT is not government funded and relies entirely on food and financial donations in order to keep operations running. While their capacity to cover labour or packaging costs is limited, they’re open to exploring solutions on a case-by-case basis—especially when it results in more food reaching more people.

For charities such as TBBT, there’s a genuine opportunity for us to help them in a range of ways from regular surplus donations, helping solve logistical challenges, or simply just spreading the word.

A Shared Commitment

At MWW, we know that doing good and doing business go hand in hand it’s a core part of our values. It’s one reason why we partner with charities such as TBBT as they help us to not only reduce waste but also strengthen our local communities and deliver support where it matters most.

When the TBBT team departed the Altitude facility, they left energised by ways to further reduce food waste and excited by the potential to collaborate with us in the future.

We’re proud to be working alongside The Bread and Butter Thing to support a fairer, more sustainable food system. Because when it comes to feeding people well and making sure good food finds a good home, we all have a role to play.

You can find out more about TBBT here: www.breadandbutterthing.org