My name is Scott Lunny, President of the Union Protein Project (UPP). Last year the Union Protein Project (UPP), a union owned and operated community project, provided almost one million dollars worth of much needed protein to Food Banks in BC and Alberta.
In 2006 the UPP and the United Way sat down with local Food Banks and asked: ‘What do you need?’ The overwhelming response was: protein – the most expensive part of a Food Bank’s budget.
The Union Protein Project negotiated deep discounts on canned salmon from a local fish processor, raised cash donations from BC unions, union organizations and their membership. Making bulk purchases at about one-third of retail UPP further subsidized purchases by Food Banks reducing their cost to about twenty cents on the dollar.
UPP partnered with Overwaitea Food Group (Save on Foods) to help ship product to BC and Alberta at no cost to the Food Banks.
We have formed a new partnership with 50MillionMeals who have built a community-based, Fair Trade distribution system for Kampot Pepper – the best pepper in the world and when you purchase the ‘Best Pepper Ever’ UPP receives 35% of the revenue and that amount is eligible for a charitable tax receipt upon request. A ten dollar purchase of the best pepper in the world can yield up to $14.00 in protein for a local Food Bank.
UPP has expanded over the past thirteen years and our plan is to keep growing and work with Food Banks across Canada and later into the US. Our goal for this campaign is to sell $100,000.00 of the Best Pepper Ever and the equally unique Kampot Sea Salt and bring in $35,000.00 to subsidize more protein for Food Banks. We invite you to join us. Together we can make a difference!
What is unique about this partnership is that community-based, Fair Trade distribution of Kampot Pepper not only helps to alleviate food insecurity it helps Cambodian pepper farmers that were devastated by the Cambodian Genocide and ensuing civil war that only ended in 1999 when the rebels were ousted.
Interested in working with us to help alleviate food insecurity in your community? Please contact us as we have a number of ways that you can join our team and even set up your own mini-campaign to help your local Food Bank. Whether you are a school, a local bank or credit union or a concerned citizen we could use your help to spread the word and build a community-based Fair Trade network for Kampot Pepper – the best pepper in the world.
