Old El Paso launches campaign with UAE Food Bank to reduce food wastage this Ramadan

(MENAFN - Mid-East.Info) The campaign will encourage people to repurpose excess food; thereby reducing wastage Dubai: Old El Paso � the Tex-Mex-style food brand from American food producer General Mills � has rolled out an innovative campaign in partnership with the UAE Food Bank during the holy month of Ramadan to spread awareness about food wastage.� According to the recent United Nations Environment Programme's Food Waste Index Report 2021, around 931 million tonnes of food waste was generated globally in 2019, of which 61 percent came from households and the remaining from food service and retail. The UN report also found that the average person in the UAE wastes 95 kilos of food a year.  Each year, Ramadan is widely celebrated across UAE with staple foods such as Fatta, Sambousas, Mahshi, etc., being served during Iftar, the evening meal with which the daily Ramadan fast at sunset is ended. During the first few weeks of the holy month, families cook numerous dishes, which is either repurposed for Suhour or gets wasted as it is not possible to consume the same food over and over again. With Old El Paso's innovative solutions, you can now turn leftovers into a different meal altogether, because everything can be made into a burrito! This year during Ramadan, Old El Paso is encouraging people to give a new spin to their leftovers, thereby reducing food wastage. Old El Paso has partnered with the UAE Food Bank to encourage people to reduce food wastage and at the same time support communities in need. Mr. Ali Shaikh, General Manager � Middle East and Africa, General Mills says 'We as a brand believe in doing our bit towards the society and we are thankful for the opportunity to partner with the UAE Food Bank to encourage people on a wider level to reduce food wastage and at the same time support communities in need. We will invite people to visit our website [www.oldelpasoarabia.com/wrapitup] and explore creative and easy recipes to help repurpose their Iftar leftovers into new creative dishes. When they share these recipes with their friends on social media and spread the solution of reducing food wastage, we will donate on their behalf a pack of 6 tortilla wraps to the UAE Food Bank to go in the food boxes distributed to families in need.' 'Ramadan is the month of giving and reflecting. It is also the month of thankfulness, where we count our blessings and share it with others. As part of our commitment to give back, it gives us great pleasure to be partnering with General Mills this Ramadan on a project which is not only creative but raises awareness and encourages the community to reduce food waste. The team at Old El Paso will be coordinating operations with us to ensure 20,000 packs of Old El Paso tortilla wraps are delivered to the required facilities as part of this campaign,' says Iman Albastaki - Head of Food Safety Department, member of the UAE Food Bank Committee. With this campaign, Old El Paso aims to promote the utilization of their tortilla wraps as a way to repurpose food in a fun and creative way. Under this  campaign, Old El Paso will also be engaging with 20 home cooks and influencers on social media with hashtag #Wrapitup. About General Mills : General Mills is a leading global food company whose purpose is to make food the world loves. Its brands include Cheerios, Annie's, Yoplait, Nature Valley, H�agen-Dazs, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki, BLUE and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills generated fiscal 2020 net sales of U.S. $17.6 billion. In addition, General Mills' share of non-consolidated joint venture net sales totalled U.S. $1.0 billion. Established in 2008, General Mills Middle East aims at serving its consumers with delightful, innovative products who are seeking newer food experiences. The company is known for its global best practices in technology and food expertise with strong local market manufacturing and go-to-market capabilities. About UAE Food Bank : The UAE Food Bank is a non-profit charitable organisation launched on January 4th, 2017 under the umbrella of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI). It is committed to distributing food to those in need while eliminating food waste by collaborating with local authorities, as well as local and international charities, to create a comprehensive ecosystem to efficiently store, package and distribute excess fresh food from hotels, restaurants and supermarkets. It is the first Food Bank in the United Arab Emirates. About Old El Paso : Old El Paso has been sharing great Mexican inspired food with the world since 1938. Today, it is the number one, category-leading Mexican meals brand in the Middle East and Europe. Old El Paso delights consumers with its great-tasting, ever-growing range of products that includes meal kits, cooking sauces, salsas, dips, seasoning mixes, tortillas, chips and other accompaniments, and aims to inspire the magic of real connections that happen when people get together and enjoy a delicious meal.MENAFN19042021005446012082ID1101943734