FMI Introduces Food Industry Commitments on Hunger, Nutrition and Health

As food industry members gather for the historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health, FMI – The Food Industry Association has revealed ambitious commitments that the sector has made for 2023 and beyond to help find solutions to ending hunger, improving nutrition and reducing diet-related diseases across the country.

In the months before the conference, FMI members worked to identify a set of impactful yet achievable steps that the food industry can take to help reduce food and nutrition insecurity in the United States. FMI’s commitments align with the pillars identified by the White House as priorities for the conference to improve food access, reduce diet-related disease and help consumers make healthy choices. 

The commitments are as follows: 

• Food Donations: FMI members will donate more than 2 billion meals in 2023, with the aim of increasing food donations to food banks and other organizations.
• Improving Food Access to Underserved Communities: FMI members will commit to robust investment in programs, initiatives, infrastructure enhancements and partnerships to boost food availability in areas of limited food access. The members will adhere to2023 benchmarking and annual reportingon these numbers.
• Leveraging Federal Feeding and Food as Medicine Programs: FMI members will grow access to and leverage federal feeding programs and Food as Medicine programs at food retail that include nutrient-dense foods. FMI members will adhere to 2023 benchmarkingand annual reportingon these numbers.
• Promoting Consumer Education and Transparency: FMI members will share evidence-based messages and educational tools for consumers in 2023 to support healthy eating patterns that align with the dietary guidelines and federal nutrition guidance, committing to 100 million impressions/consumers in 2023. 

“The food industry has a critical role to play in addressing hunger and helping to improve the nutrition and health of all Americans,” said Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI, who was invited to participate in the Sept. 28 White House gathering. “Grocery stores serve as accessible, convenient, community-based destinations for feeding assistance, preventive care, nutrition guidance, and nourishing, practical meal solutions. It will take all of us working together to achieve these goals; I have full confidence in the food industry’s spirit of innovation and collaboration to not only reach these goals, but far exceed them. We look forward to continuing to work with the White House, members of Congress, our industry partners and other stakeholders to ensure all Americans have access to healthy, nourishing foods.” 

Specific companies to reveal similar commitments in connection with the conference include Albertsons Cos., Shipt and Instacart.