GFN Spotlight 2025

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.

Key Takeaways from The Global FoodBanking Network in 2025:

1. GFN food banking organizations served approximately 40.5 million people facing hunger in 2025, which is nearly equal to people served during the height of the COVID pandemic.
2. Food banks prevented approximately 534 million kilograms of food from going to waste, preventing the release of methane into the atmosphere.
3. Supported by GFN’s Agricultural Recovery Hub, food banking organizations sourced 55% more from agricultural sources in 2025 than they did in 2024, delivering 228 million kilograms of nutritious food to people.
4. Newer food banks that are part of GFN’s Accelerator program grew by 40% over the year prior in terms of product distribution and outpaced the rest of the network.
5. Agile and innovative food banking models are expanding, particularly virtual food banking, which accounts for 8% of the network’s total distribution.