£210k Pepsico grant set to help Felix charity tackle food waste and provide jobs

Snacks and drinks supplier PepsiCo has announced its continued funding for UK food distribution charity, Felix, following the merger between FareShare and The Felix Project, via a £210,000 grant from its PepsiCo Foundation.

For a second year running, the PepsiCo Foundation (the company’s philanthropic arm), will help to fund two of Felix’s existing programmes, reflecting its focus on “strengthening more sustainable food systems and expanding economic opportunity in local communities,” it said.

Through the partnership, these programmes aim to reduce food waste and improve access to food, while also supporting local employability in Leicester, the home of PepsiCo’s Walkers crisps.

The first programme to benefit from the funding is Surplus with Purpose, which helps farmers and producers across the UK stop fresh produce from going to waste by redirecting it into Felix’s network of charities and community organisations.

The grant will also enable a second year of Felix’s employability programme in Leicester to help local people lead fuller lives. Established in 2025 with funding from the PepsiCo Foundation, the programme helps prepare people for the workforce, through workshops and one-to-one mentoring.

As part of the ongoing partnership, PepsiCo will continue to support Felix’s mission through volunteering and donations, as the two mark eight years of partnership. Last year, PepsiCo donated over 245 tonnes of snack and oat products to over 1,700 charities and community groups across the Felix network.

Jason Richards, general manager at PepsiCo UK & Ireland, said: “Our partnership with Felix builds on eight years of impact, helping to connect surplus food with local communities through a growing network of organisations. This new grant from the PepsiCo Foundation will support Felix in its efforts to expand access to food and strengthen community support across the UK.

Being able to fund a second year of an employability programme rooted in Leicester, where we have a long-standing presence, makes it especially meaningful.”