Why Publix Spent $10 Million to Save Food That Was About to Rot

17 min · 6. maj 2026

Description

In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of pounds of fresh produce were about to rot in farmers' fields — because the restaurants that bought them had shut down overnight. Then Publix spent $10 million to change that. And they never stopped. That has helped feed thousands of people, through their partnership with the Feeding Tampa Bay food bank. It’s part of their combined efforts to end hunger. In this episode of Stick a Fork In It, we sit down with Brian West, Community Relations Manager at Publix, to hear the story behind one of Tampa Bay's most powerful community partnerships. As of May 2024, Publix has donated over 100 million pounds of produce to families in need — and Brian shares what drives a company that large to keep giving. From their founder's legacy to the moment a child cried happy tears over a carton of milk, this conversation will remind you why community partnerships matter — and how ordinary people inside big companies make extraordinary things happen In this episode: • The behind-the-scenes story of how a $10 million food rescue started in 2020 • Why produce was rotting in fields while families went hungry — and how supply chains failed everyone • The "Cereal for Summer" program and how it reaches kids across multiple counties • Brian's message to any nonprofit: "Don't be afraid to ask. The worst I can say is no." • How Publix's commitment to giving goes all the way back to founder George Jenkins in 1930 Publix and Feeding Tampa Bay have been partners since 2009. This is what that partnership looks like from the inside. If you care about hunger in our community — or you've ever wondered whether big companies can really make a difference — this episode is for you.

Comments

Be the first to comment

Get Started

All episodes

94 episodes

The Philosophy Feeding Tampa Bay Lives By: Thomas Mantz

In this episode of Stick a Fork in It, Thomas pulls back the curtain on what hunger really looks like in Tampa Bay — and why it's nothing like most of us imagine. We talk about the Causeway Center, the merger with Trinity Cafe that changed everything, why they just opened a medical clinic on campus, and the philosophy that drives everything Feeding Tampa Bay does: 51% dignity, 49% food.

24. juni 202622 min

From Free Concerts to Owning the Publication: Ray Roa’s Creative Loafing Journey

In this episode of Stick a Fork in It, Ray talks about what it really feels like to own the paper you grew up reading, why Creative Loafing refuses to put up a paywall, and what he believes about the future of local journalism in Tampa Bay. Plus — what's happening with Restaurant Month, his unexpected dream concert, and why kindness is a muscle you have to train.

17. juni 202623 min

The Law That Rescued 100 Loads of Milk from Being Dumped in Florida

When Florida's schools and restaurants shut down, dairy farmers were forced to dump millions of gallons of perfectly good milk — while families just miles away went hungry. In this episode of Stick a Fork in It, Andrea McClellan from M&B Dairy pulls back the curtain on what really happens on a Florida dairy farm, and the bill that's finally fixing a heartbreaking problem.

10. juni 202626 min

Denis Phillips: What You NEED to Know Before Hurricane Season Hits

Tampa Bay's most trusted meteorologist Denis Phillips joins Stick a Fork in It to cut through the fear, the hype, and the dangerous social media myths spreading ahead of hurricane season — and he has a message every Tampa Bay family needs to hear. From the tragic story of 12 lives lost in Pinellas County during Hurricane Helene — people who believed they had nowhere to turn — to the viral "Super El Niño" panic spreading across TikTok and Instagram, Denis breaks down what's real, what's hype, and what you actually need to do before a storm makes landfall.

3. juni 202616 min

Tampa Bay Is Giving People A Second Chance

In this episode of Stick a Fork in It, we sit down with Curtis — a Fresh Force program graduate who turned his life around through one of Tampa Bay's most powerful workforce development programs. Curtis shares the raw truth about his past, the moment he walked through the doors of Feeding Tampa Bay, and how a 10-week training program changed everything for his family.

28. maj 202615 min

Why Publix Spent $10 Million to Save Food That Was About to Rot

Description

Comments

1 month for 9 kr.

All episodes