Gloucester-based kitchenware firm ProCook has announced a new partnership with UK charity FoodCycle.

Staff will spend the year supporting its work to alleviate food poverty, loneliness and food waste through community dining.

It will include volunteering at projects, fundraising through events and activities, providing kitchenware products to any FoodCycle project that needs it and helping to raise awareness of the charity.

Based in London, it has thousands of volunteers across the country who each week transform surplus food into free healthy, delicious meals for anyone that would like them, no questions asked.

Last year it saved 239 tonnes of food from going to waste and its 5,849 volunteers donated 133,295 hours of their time.

It has previously served up free meals at The Redwell Centre in Gloucester but the weekly event is currently paused.

Sophie Tebbetts, CEO of FoodCycle, said: "We are thrilled to join forces with ProCook in our mission to make food poverty, food waste and loneliness a thing of the past for every community. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of people across the UK, and realise our vision that no one is hungry or lonely. 

“From skipping meals to eating alone, our guests have told us how vital that weekly community meal is; and ProCook’s support will be invaluable to both our ongoing work and our ambitious growth plans for 2024 and beyond."

Sarah Wheatley, people and ESG director at ProCook, said: “We believe in the power of community and the importance of reducing food waste. Our partnership with FoodCycle allows us to further our commitment to these values by supporting their invaluable work in providing meals to those in need. 

“We want to bring joy to everyday cooking, and community dining is the perfect vehicle for bringing that vision to life."

ProCook’s aim is to bring joy to everyday cooking  and in October 2022 it became an accredited B Corp business.

It now has 60 stores across the UK including Gloucester Quays and Cirencester and 700 staff, with 200 based at its headquarters in St. Modwen Park, Quedgeley.

It moved into the new 167,000 sq ft state-of-the-art distribution centre and offices last year and also said goodbye to founder Daniel O'Neill who stepped down as CEO after 28 years at the helm, with Lee Tappenden taking over.

He spoke to Punchline last week about the change  and its latest trading figures.

Earlier this month the firm reported a rise in the fourth quarter  with results for the 12 weeks to March 31 showing total revenue of £13.2m. 

That was an  increase of 4.8% year on year, outperforming the UK kitchenware market by approximately +2% points.