Supporting North Ayrshire Communities Together
Case Study
How Grant’s partnership with North Ayrshire Foodbank is helping stretch budgets and provide nutritious meals to those who need them most.
About North Ayrshire Foodbank
North Ayrshire Foodbank plays a vital role in supporting individuals and families experiencing financial hardship across the region. Alongside emergency food parcels, the organisation delivers a range of initiatives focused on tackling food insecurity, reducing poverty and supporting household wellbeing.
Key Impact (April 2024 – March 2025)
Food parcels issued 3,340
Adults supported 4,376
Children supported 5,794
Welfare Rights income secured for households £426,800
Make a Meal of It programme 72 adults and children per day during 9 weeks of school holidays
Christmas programme Junior Chef programme 160 children attended the Christmas pantomime and meal
15 households (around 45 people) supported
Weekly community cinema attendance 36 people on average
The Challenge
Like many foodbanks across the UK, North Ayrshire has experienced growing financial pressures despite continued high demand.
Cash donations have fallen significantly, with donations down by approximately 40%, resulting in around £23,000 less income this year. At the same time, budgets for purchasing food have reduced by around £21,000, placing greater pressure on the organisation to make every pound go further.
Although around 80% of food is donated by supermarkets and the public, certain essential products – particularly tinned meat – remain difficult to source through donations and often have to be purchased. Increasing food prices have only intensified these challenges.
Sourcing Affordable Protein
Before partnering with Grant’s, purchasing canned meat was one of the foodbank’s biggest expenses.
For almost a decade, the team relied on buying a limited range of products through Booker, including:
• Chicken Curry
• Stewed Steak
• Minced Beef
These products typically cost around £2.50 per can, and supermarket purchasing restrictions also made sourcing larger quantities difficult.
As a result, the foodbank was forced to carefully manage limited purchasing budgets while trying to maintain a consistent supply of protein-rich meals.
Discovering Grant’s
The relationship with Grant’s began unexpectedly through a donation of surplus stock. Following that initial donation, conversations quickly developed into a direct supply partnership after the foodbank discovered Grant’s charity wholesale pricing.
The pricing model was immediately recognised as an opportunity to significantly improve purchasing power and was shared with the wider Trussell Trust network.
Making Budgets Go Further
The impact of switching to Grant’s has been significant. By purchasing directly from Grant’s at community pricing, North Ayrshire Foodbank has effectively halved the cost of purchasing canned meals compared with previous suppliers.
This has been particularly important during a period where charitable donations have reduced and purchasing budgets have become increasingly stretched.
Lower costs mean the organisation can purchase more nutritious meals while ensuring funds go further across all areas of support.
Supporting the Community
Demand for food support remains consistently high throughout the year. Contrary to expectations, the summer months are no quieter than the rest of the year due to increased pressure on families during school holidays.
North Ayrshire Foodbank also delivers several community programmes, including:
• Make a Meal of It, providing meals for around 72 adults and children every day during school holidays.
• Junior Chef, supporting households with cooking skills and meal preparation at home.
• Welfare Rights support, helping households maximise income.
• Community activities designed to reduce isolation and support wellbeing.
The organisation has also seen a shift in those requiring support. While measures such as the Scottish Child Payment have reduced demand from some families, there has been a noticeable increase in single young men accessing food support.
Customer Feedback
Grant’s products have been well received by those using the foodbank.
Most popular products
• Roast Gammon
• Chicken Casserole
Having access to high-quality, protein-rich meals at affordable prices has allowed the foodbank to offer greater choice while maintaining nutritional value.
Looking Ahead
North Ayrshire Foodbank hopes demand will stabilise over the coming year, although it recognises that economic pressures remain.
Alongside emergency food parcels, the organisation is continuing to support a growing network of community larders across North Ayrshire, helping households experiencing financial hardship access affordable food before reaching crisis point.
Reliable supplier relationships will remain essential as demand continues.
As the team explained, dependable suppliers are critical to ensuring food is available when communities need it most.
A Partnership Built on Shared Values
Grant’s believes everyone deserves access to nutritious, high-quality food regardless of their circumstances.
By working together with North Ayrshire Foodbank, the partnership is helping stretch charitable budgets further, ensuring more people can access nutritious meals while making every donation work harder for the community.
