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San Francisco Food Bank Receives First Truckload of Tomatoes in Huge Donation From SK Foods

Posted on: Friday, 6 June 2008, 00:00 CDT

To help replenish diminishing supplies at our state's food banks, SK Foods is donating more than 82,000 cases of 15 oz. canned diced tomatoes--close to one million cans--to food banks throughout California. Deliveries to food banks began Thursday morning, June 5, with a truck dropping off approximately 2,800 cases of tomatoes to the San Francisco Food Bank.

The SK Foods donation constitutes one of the five largest food bank donations in the state's history, according to Bill Foltz, food solicitor for Second Harvest Food Bank, who is helping to coordinate distribution of the diced tomatoes. "It's a great product and has such versatility to it. This outstanding donation comes at a time when our food banks are scrambling desperately for donations," explained Foltz.

Marguerite Nowak, advocacy and education manager for the San Francisco Food Bank, said that the truckload of SK Foods tomatoes, roughly 35,000 cans, will be distributed within two weeks. "About 18,000 families will receive this great product through our network of 184 pantries," said Nowak. "This is a huge donation." The San Francisco Food Bank feeds 124,000 people and distributes enough food for 66,000 meals per day.

The Food Bank for Monterey County, where SK Foods is based, will receive its first truckload of tomatoes Monday, with additional deliveries planned in Fresno and Tulare counties. Food banks in Alameda, Watsonville, San Jose, Redwood Empire (in Santa Rosa), and San Joaquin (in Manteca) will also benefit from the donation. SK Foods will provide all transportation and cover freight costs, a tremendous added value to the food banks.

As food supplies dwindle and prices increase worldwide, food banks throughout the state have found themselves in short supply of much-needed healthy and nutritious foods. SK Foods, with facilities in several locations throughout California, was quick to respond to the shortages with available supplies of diced tomatoes. The retail value of the donation is well over $1 million.

"The world food shortages are right here in our backyard," said SK Foods Chief Executive Officer Scott Salyer. "We hope other food companies will follow our lead and help the food banks." SK Foods, based in Monterey, California, is owned and operated by the Salyer family, which has successfully farmed diversified crops on a large scale in California's Central Valley since the early 1900s.

About the San Francisco Food Bank

The San Francisco Food Bank, incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in 1987, collects donated food from growers, manufacturers, grocers and the community, then distributes it to people in need through food pantries, soup kitchens, child care centers, homeless shelters, senior centers and other human service agencies. The organization will distribute 31 million pounds of food this year to hungry people in San Francisco. For more information, please visit www.sffoodbank.org.

About SK Foods

SK Foods is one of the world's leading processors of tomato and vegetable products for re-manufacturers, retail and foodservice marketers. Established in 1990, SK Foods is part of the SK Foods Group of companies, with headquarters in Monterey, California, and processing facilities at locations in California, New Zealand, and Australia. For more information please visit www.skfoods.com.

Source: Business Wire

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