GFN Spotlight 2025

In 2025, GFN member food banks provided food and services to 40.5 million people in more than 50 countries.
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In an era of conflict, aid cuts and climate disasters,
food banks prove to be resilient, dynamic organizations that support communities around the globe.

In 2025, conflict, disasters and massive cuts to official development assistance combined to create an unprecedented year of global humanitarian challenges.

Once again, food banks — ever agile, responsive and resilient — acted as safety nets across the world, standing between their communities and hunger. Members of The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) served approximately 2 billion meals to 40.5 million people facing hunger in 2025.

The GFN Spotlight showcases data from 55 member food banking organizations across 47 countries [1]. It provides a look at developments and innovations in food banking, highlights members’ achievements, and demonstrates some of the food security challenges faced in 2025.

[1] Does not include data from partner organizations, Feeding America (U.S.A.) and the European Federation of Food Banks. Members of GFN’s New Food Bank Development Program and members who joined in 2025-2026 do not submit data.

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“In the face of so many global challenges, food banks across the globe are navigating complex supply chains to recover more food — preventing the harmful environmental effects of food waste — and are adapting their distribution models to meet the distinct needs of dense urban cities, remote rural areas and communities of every size in between.”

Lisa Moon
CEO & President
The Global FoodBanking Network

Cape Town, South Africa - 20250710 - (L-R) Geran le Fleur, Desmond Pypers, Christopher Vermeulen and Dibah Smith from Beneficiary Organisations collect their food from the FoodForward SA truck at the central pick-up point at the Alpha Outreach Centre in Malmesbury, near Cape Town, South Africa. The delivery is part of FFSA's Mobile Rural Distribution programme. Photo: The Global Food Banking Network / Jeffrey Abrahams

Responding to demand, food banks increased distribution by 7%.

In 2025, food banks provided service to more than 40.5 million people struggling with food insecurity, which is nearly equal to people served during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Geran le Fleur, Desmond Pypers, Christopher Vermeulen and Dibah Smith collect their food from the FoodForward SA truck at the central pick-up point at the Alpha Outreach Centre in Malmesbury, near Cape Town, South Africa. The food will be brought back to community support organizations. (Photo: The Global Food Banking Network / Jeffrey Abrahams)

Responding to demand, food banks increased distribution by 7%.

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In 2025 . . .

  • Network members provided 820 million kilograms of food and valuable grocery products, an increase of 7% compared to the previous year.

  • The food provided is equivalent to around 2 billion meals.

  • The number of beneficiary organizations working with food banks grew 18% over the previous year, reflecting strong commitments to their communities and response to rising need.

Carlos Nuño and Isaac Sierra, volunteers at Bancos de Alimentos de México (BAMX) Zapotlanejo, pack fresh produce for distribution. BAMX Zapotlanejo a growing food bank and serves 5,500 families in 28 communities. (Photo: The Global FoodBanking Network/Luis Antonio Rojas)

Food banks kept 534 million kilograms of food out of landfills — that’s the same as taking 473k cars off the road.

Rotting food produces methane, a potent gas that has more than 80x stronger global warming effects than CO2. By recovering food before it ends up in landfill, food banks are key to protecting our planet and natural resources.


Carlos Nuño and Isaac Sierra, volunteers at Bancos de Alimentos de México (BAMX) Zapotlanejo, pack fresh produce for distribution. BAMX Zapotlanejo a growing food bank and serves 5,500 families in 28 communities. (Photo: The Global FoodBanking Network/Luis Antonio Rojas)

Food banks kept 534 million kilograms of food out of landfills — that’s the same as taking 473k cars off the road.

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In 2025 . . .

  • By keeping nourishing food out of landfills, food banks mitigated an estimated 2.03 million metric tons of CO2e.

  • This shows the strength of businesses powering food banks through product donations, something that also benefits a business’ bottom line through reduction of dumping fees and progress toward meeting zero waste goals.

  • GFN worked with member food banks to demonstrate this environmental impact to national governments. Food banking is now a part of the climate plans, or nationally determined contributions (NDCs), in Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and Paraguay.
Nico Lopez from Banco de Alimentos Rosario's market recovery program, RecuperBAR, greets a vendor at Mercado de Productores Rosario to begin work.

Food banks are rapidly increasing recovery of fresh fruits and vegetables from farms and markets.

13% of all food grown on farms is lost — that's millions of tons of highly nutritious food that can be redistributed to people facing food insecurity.

Food banks sourced nearly 228 million kilograms of food from the agricultural sector in 2025, a 55% increase from the year prior.

Nico Lopez from Banco de Alimentos Rosario's market recovery program, RecuperBAR, greets a vendor at Mercado de Productores Rosario to begin work.

Food banks are rapidly increasing recovery of fresh fruits and vegetables from farms and markets.

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In 2025 . . .

  • Fruits and vegetables accounted for nearly half of all food distributed by the network, the largest single product category, demonstrating the strength of investments in agricultural recovery.

  • More than two-thirds of the network had an agricultural recovery program in 2025.

  • Food banks reported working with 10,826 small- and medium-scale farmers and 131 commercial farmers in 2025.

Newer food banks that are part of GFN’s Accelerator program are growing quickly.

It can take new food banks 10 to 15 years to move from inception to full maturity — GFN’s Accelerator fast tracks the launching and scaling of food banks.

SOS Thailand staff and community volunteers help set up a delivery station for rescued food donations to the Khlong Toei community. (Photo: The Global FoodBanking Network/Lauren DeCicca)

Newer food banks that are part of GFN’s Accelerator program are growing quickly.

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In 2025 . . .

  • Together, Accelerator food banks collectively distributed 3.9 million kilograms of food and grocery products — a 40% increase over the year prior, outpacing the rest of the network.

  • Two-thirds of Accelerator food banks are implementing agricultural recovery programs as a key strategy for growth.

Food Banking Model Meets Community Needs

 

Agile, tech‑enabled food banking models are gaining momentum across the network, with virtual food banking — also known as direct collection — emerging as a leading approach. This model connects people and businesses who have surplus food directly with community agencies through digital platforms, streamlining distribution.

By 2025, 27 food banks were operating virtual food banking programs, which now account for about 8% of total network food distribution. Alongside this growth, other next‑generation models such as decentralized or zero‑warehouse systems, hub‑and‑spoke structures and mobile depots are also being used to expand reach and improve efficiency.

Our Global Reach


Across six continents, in 50 countries, we’re powering community-led solutions to alleviate hunger and reduce food loss and waste.

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Impact in Action

Ethiopia

Driven largely by agricultural recovery, It Rains Food Bank of Ethiopia increased food recovered by 201%, allowing them to improve service while reaching 45% more people.

Nicaragua

In Nicaragua, many charities and community organizations closed after USAID funding ceased.

Banco de Alimentos Nicaragua responded with new partnership and diversification strategies, leading to a 47% increase in kilograms distributed over the previous year.

Indonesia

In Indonesia, Aksata Pangan's impact grew exponentially in 2025, distributing 34,000 kilograms of food — an increase of more than 350% from 2024.

This was made possible by investments in logistics capabilities, including their first food bank-owned vehicle.
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