LONDON, 2014-12-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — A runaway reindeer has inspired Sainsbury’s to divert bags of its leftover festive food to help feed herds of the animals across the UK, helping to prepare them for their busiest season.
When a rare albino reindeer called Tinsel went missing from Freizeland Farm near Nuneaton shortly after arriving, colleagues at the nearby Sainsbury’s store wanted to help the new arrivals settle in by deer-livering a feast of their favourite foods.
Some other stores located close to reindeer farms were quick to follow suit and now a stag-gering number of crates of carrots, cauliflower and cabbage that are not suitable for humans but make perfect animal feed, are being donated to reindeer farms as part of Sainsburys’ scheme to re-distribute surplus food rather than going to waste.
Paul Wain, Sainsbury’s Fosse Park store manager, said: “We always ensure food that can’t be sold in store is used in the most efficient way as part of our commitment to sending no food waste to landfill. Wherever possible, we donate food still fit for consumption to charity, or use it as animal feed or for aerobic digestion.
“When Tinsel went missing the team rallied around to come up with ways to help, and we all agreed that giving him and his friend Holly a taste of our produce to help them settle into their new home would be great. We’re really pleased that other stores have also decided to make donations to reindeer across the country, before the Dancers and Dashers delight thousands of children, excited about an imminent visit from Father Christmas and his helpers.”
Nigel Ryley, Christmas Tree Farmer at Friezeland Farm, said: “We never expected our reindeer arrivals to make quite such a public entrance, but now Tinsel is back home and settling in well, it is fantastic that Sainsbury’s is offering to help give them a taste of their favourite foods with their hampers of veg. The small bottle of whisky thrown in to calm our nerves after the runaway ordeal is equally appreciated!”
Other farms that will receive a donation of surplus food include:
- Blithbury Reindeer Lodge in Staffordshire
- The Reindeer Centre in Kent
- Cheshire Reindeer Lodge in Ellesmere Port
- Riggmoor Reindeer & Co in North Yorkshire
- Riverways Farm in Berkshire
- Swansea Winter Wonderland
Sainsbury’s is committed to supporting food donation partners throughout the year and currently more than 300 of our stores have local food donation partnerships in place to donate fresh food still fit for consumption.
Friezeland Farm is open Monday – Friday, 09:00am – 5:00pm. There’s a chance for families to visit the Winter Wonderland Experience, as well as buy the perfect Christmas tree.
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