Charlie Bigham’s has successfully eliminated all edible food waste across its production process, marking a major first for the British food industry.
The premium pre-prepared meals brand announced the milestone across their London and Somerset kitchens in their latest Impact Report, after developing a number of pioneering processes to eliminate food waste.
Alongside redistributing excess Charlie Bigham’s dishes, these pioneering processes also include rescuing and redistributing surplus sauces, another industry first, as well as donating chicken wings that would otherwise have gone to waste in the supply chain, and saving pastry offcuts from pie casings to be remixed into dough.
All these initiatives were developed in close partnership with Charlie Bigham’s long-standing charity partners; including food redistribution charities FareShare South West, The Coronation Food Project, City Harvest and FoodCycle.
Patrick Cairns, CEO, Charlie Bigham’s: “At Charlie Bigham’s we’ve always believed that good food should be eaten and enjoyed – never wasted. Particularly in an age where food poverty is prevalent, the need for food banks is only growing, and appallingly, we are still seeing people going hungry.
“We didn’t see food waste as just an operational challenge; we saw it as an opportunity to do good, to innovate, and to unite our team behind a purpose bigger than profit. We are extremely proud of this major milestone – an industry first – as part of our continued commitment to people, purpose and planet.”
The milestone is believed to be an industry first in British food production companies, many of whom ensure no production waste goes to landfill. Charlie Bigham’s zero edible food waste pledge goes one step further.
Since August 2025, Charlie Bigham’s kitchens have produced no edible food waste, with the new processes meaning the company has donated the equivalent of 350,000 meals as well as 148 tonnes of surplus food and ingredients to charities fighting food poverty.
Mary Parsons, Head of Food at City Harvest, said: “Charlie Bigham’s commitment to ensuring that no good food goes to waste is making a real and immediate difference to the communities we support. The quality and volume of the meals and ingredients they provide help us deliver nutritious food to people facing food insecurity across London. Partnerships like this show how the food industry can be a powerful force for good, turning surplus into something that brings dignity, nourishment and hope.”
The initiative has not only supported their charity partners, but also helped drive efficiencies across Charlie Bigham’s kitchens. Greater accuracy in forecasting and ingredient management has also reduced spend, saving the business £130,000.
Claire Gibbs, head of food & sustainability, Charlie Bigham’s: “Reducing edible food waste to zero has been a remarkable achievement for our kitchens and for the business. It has taken commitment and hard work from teams across the company, combining rigorous measurement, tighter forecasting, smarter ingredient management, and embedding redistribution into daily operations.
“Achieving this milestone shows that with focus, collaboration, and the right systems in place, ambitious sustainability goals are absolutely achievable.”
Charlie Bigham’s annual Impact Report also reveals that the business has reached a goal of donating £1 million to food-focused charities. In 2025 alone, the company contributed more than £352,000 – that’s 3.4% of post-tax profits. This includes a significant donation to FoodCycle, supporting the charity to serve over 120,000 nutritious, community meals for people at risk of food insecurity and social isolation.
Alongside its social impact, the business has retained its B Corp certification, reinforcing its commitment to high standards of environmental and social performance, transparency and accountability.
The year also saw Charlie Bigham’s named one of the UK’s top 20 places to work, climbing 58 places to rank 19th nationally – one of the only food manufacturers to achieve a place on the list.
While the latest results mark significant progress, the company is clear that the work is far from over. Charlie Bigham’s is committed to continually strengthening its environmental credentials, with a target to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2030 on the path to net zero by 2040. Its long-term ambition is to achieve this by cutting emissions by 90% by 2040, demonstrating a sustained focus on meaningful, measurable climate action.
The latest Impact Report demonstrates how Charlie Bigham’s passion for making delicious food goes hand in hand with creating a positive impact on people, communities, and the planet.
Patrick Cairns, CEO at Charlie Bigham’s, added: “As a business, we’ve always believed that making delicious food comes with a responsibility to do good. Reaching £1 million in charitable giving and seeing our meals help communities across the country is every bit as important to us as the food we make. This report is about showing that a successful business can – and should – have a positive impact on people and the planet as it grows.”
