Saputo Dairy Australia Joins Eat Up to Address School Food Insecurity

Saputo Dairy Australia has entered into a new partnership with the non-profit organization Eat Up, aiming to tackle the growing issue of childhood food insecurity in Australia. As part of this arrangement, the dairy processor will contribute more than 400,000 slices of its CHEER Tasty Cheese each year. This effort is designed to ensure that primary and secondary students in need have access to nutritious school lunches.

The expanded support comes as many Australian schools report unprecedented demands for meal assistance. Eat Up currently provides free lunches to over 1,200 schools nationwide, with 68% of these institutions noting an increase in the number of students requiring food support. For children facing these hardships, a cheese sandwich can be a vital source of protein and nutrition, helping them maintain focus and participate actively in classroom activities.

Cam Bruce, Senior Vice President Commercial at Saputo Dairy Australia, stated that the partnership underscores the company's commitment to providing practical, community-level support. By converting everyday dairy staples into scalable charitable donations, Saputo aims to positively impact child health and education outcomes across both urban and regional centers.

This formal partnership builds upon an existing collaboration between the two organizations, which includes employee volunteering initiatives. Since 2024, more than 350 Saputo employees have engaged in volunteering sessions, preparing over 18,000 sandwiches using donated Saputo butter and cheese products.

Lyndon Galea, Founder of Eat Up, emphasized the importance of multi-year corporate commitments in maintaining large-scale food distribution efforts. These commitments help ensure that quality dairy ingredients continue to reach underserved schools, allowing Eat Up to expand its logistics capabilities and ensure no child goes hungry during the school day.