Deliveroo has teamed up with food redistribution charity The Felix Project to launch a new community kitchen creating bread and healthier bakes from surplus fruit and veg.
The bespoke-fitted kitchen space in London – dubbed ‘Felix Bakes with Deliveroo’ – is being provided rent free by the delivery platform, which converted it from one of its dark kitchen units.
Deliveroo is also covering all overheads including oil and contributing an additional £25k towards project costs. Further assistance comes from its longest-standing grocery partner, Co-op, which has committed to donating 6,000kg of bakery supplies over a 12-month period.
An equivalent of over 2,000 meals a week is expected to be produced by the kitchen including bread loaves along with the likes of banana bread, courgette cake, and beetroot brownies made using more than 200kg of surplus produce. These goods will then be distributed by The Felix Project to the community organisations they already supply across the capital, including food banks, community centres, shelters, and primary schools, all of whom are feeding people experiencing food insecurity.
Sustainability has been a central consideration in the design and fit-out of the updated kitchen, with Deliveroo working with industry-leading equipment suppliers such as AutoDose and Quintex to ensure high performance with minimal environmental impact.
“As a hyperlocal business deeply embedded in the communities where its customers, riders, and partners live and work, Deliveroo is committed to giving back to and supporting these neighbourhoods – something that ‘Felix Bakes with Deliveroo’ will allow us to achieve,” commented Eleanor Garnier, senior policy advisor from Deliveroo.
“The partnership links to one of Deliveroo’s six sustainability pillars of action, to tackle food insecurity in local communities by establishing the right partnerships and taking direct action where possible. Launching this community kitchen is a key priority for us in 2025,” she added.
Nick Kerle, head of production at The Felix Project, said the initiative will help further boost the charity’s aim to see a London where no good food is wasted and no one goes hungry. “During the UK harvest season, more food is available,” he noted. “In the past limited capacity has meant we have had to turn down seasonal gluts of produce, but having the Felix Bakes kitchen will mean we can take more produce and turn it into food we know people will want and enjoy.”
The launch also coincides with The Felix Project’s summer campaign, which aims to help combat hunger during the school holidays. New research highlighted that almost two thirds (64%) of London teachers are concerned at least one child in their class will experience hunger during the summer holidays – this could equate to 98,000 school children in London experiencing holiday hunger.
Earlier this year, Deliveroo and Gail’s partnered with Sheffield Hallam University to challenge students to develop a sustainable coffee cup for delivery.
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