World’s largest cruise company partners with food banks and local leaders to, for the first time, enable cruise companies to donate fresh, ready-to-eat meals to communities in Mexico, Honduras and…

World’s largest cruise company partners with food banks and local leaders to, for the first time, enable cruise companies to donate fresh, ready-to-eat meals to communities in Mexico, Honduras and the Dominican Republic

Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise company, announced it has signed a series of historic memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with food banks and community partners in Mexico, Honduras and the Dominican Republic, becoming the first cruise company to sign formal meal donation agreements with these organizations and bringing its fresh meal donation program to Latin America for the first time. The food banks participating in the agreements are part of the Global FoodBanking Network, a respected international alliance.

Carnival Corporation’s meal donation program redirects surplus prepared and unserved meals from the company’s ships to a growing network of trusted local partners for distribution to families and communities in need. Part of the company’s Less Left Over strategy to cut food waste, the program maximises the use of high-quality surplus meals to help address food insecurity in communities where it is established. By expanding to three new ports, the program will now operate in 19 destinations worldwide.

“Expanding our meal donation program into Latin America is an important step in giving back to the amazing ports and destinations that warmly welcome our guests into their communities and make their visits so memorable,” said Vicky Rey, vice president of government affairs for Latin America, Carnival Corporation. “Our goal is to help feed families and children who may not have a hot meal to eat every day by donating healthy and delicious meals we prepared but did not serve onboard. We’re grateful to our partners in Mexico, Honduras and the Dominican Republic who helped make this possible.”

In Mexico, Carnival Corporation signed an agreement with Bancos de Alimentos de Mexico (Red BAMX). Through this collaboration, meals will first be distributed through a pilot program expected to be launched in Ensenada and then extended to other locations with food banks and where Carnival Cruise Line ships call.