The Belgian Federation of Food Banks is a nonprofit organization that collects food donations from approximately 200 donors and distributes them to more than 100,000 beneficiaries in Belgium through about 600 local humanitarian and charitable organizations. In the face of increasing demand for food aid and expected diminishing contributions from key sources, BFFB sought to reexamine its strategy and, in particular, consider alternative food sources.
Working together, BCG and BFFB examined the need for alternative sourcing of food and determined that the existing business model, where the Food Bank relies only in-kind donations and does not purchase any food itself, remained appropriate. It was established that potential food sources were sufficient to allow the organization to meet its objectives.
Building on this strong base, the team identified specific actions the organization could launch to further strengthen its ability to secure food, including deepening the relationship with current providers and improving sourcing capabilities. In addition, the logistical costs of their annual food drive in cooperation with a well-known retailer were significantly reduced by introducing a coupon system. Despite fears that the negative economic situation would adversely impact donations, the volume of food collected increased significantly.