Franco Manca builds on 40,000 Christmas pizza pledge

Sourdough pizza pioneer, Franco Manca, has pledged to turn surplus dough into delicious fresh sourdough bread for those most in need this festive season and beyond. The initiative which will launch on the 9th December and continue throughout 2020 aims to help those going without food or shelter, with loaves being distributed to local soup kitchens, charities and shelters across the UK.

The project supports Franco Manca's plans to reduce food waste across each of its UK-based sites, a focus for the New Year. The business already employ a number of waste-reducing initiatives across its UK-based pizzerias including making fresh dough on site daily, advertising extra toppings across blackboards to diminish ingredient waste, offering customers a chance to take home leftovers, asking diners to not leave their crusts (cornicione) and regularly donating to food banks.

In addition to this, Franco Manca has vowed to donate 40,000 free pizzas to those that require them most during the month of December. To help achieve this, pizzeria staff have selflessly opted to work on Christmas day itself, providing a free collection service for anyone who's unable to enjoy a festive dinner in comfort. Franco Manca has run both initiatives previously, just last year pledging to donate 20,000 pizzas to those most in need. To assist them in this year's ambition, they are now calling upon relevant charities, shelters, food banks and members of the public to reach out and arrange an order of fresh bread or cooked pizzas to aid those requiring extra sustenance and support. 

Operations Director at Franco Manca, Javed Akhtar, said:

"At Franco Manca, we always try back to our local communities. This year, we're truly happy to announce that we are doubling our 2018 pledge by offering 40,000 pizzas to those who face a tough time over the festive period. We are so proud to extend this support around our pizzerias with the launch of a new and exciting year- round initiative delivering freshly baked pizzas made from our sourdough to charities and soup kitchens. Not only do we hope this will help those most in need for months to come, it will also support our aim to limit our food waste across the business, something we think should be a focus for all likeminded, conscious restaurants across the UK"

Franco Manca has introduced a number of other charitable initiatives this year, to provide hot food to those most in need. Just recently the sourdough pioneers pledged to donate 31,000 pizzas to those living locally to a number of their new regional pizzerias, including Birmingham, Exeter, Leeds, Manchester and Edinburgh.

The 40,000 free pizzas will be available for collection from all pizzeria nationwide, with the Christmas day offering available at selected pizzerias across the UK in London at the Tottenham Court Road & Bristol sites*. 

Franco Manca's 200-year-old sourdough starter has been the cornerstone of the Neapolitan-inspired pizzeria since its inception in 2008, with fresh pizza dough being made on site each day by its pizzaioli.

Collections can be organised via the on-site donations page, francomanca.co.uk/donations.

Suggestions of suitable organisations the pizzeria can assist are also encouraged, with the UK public asked to share their recommendations via the same donations page on site, or on social media @francomancapizza. 

To source your nearest Franco Manca, visit: http://www.francomanca.co.uk/restaurants.

*At select pizzerias including London pizzerias, Tottenham Court Road & Bristol sites.