Matsentralen Sør

With support from Kavli Trust, Matsentralen Sør (a food bank serving the Agder region in southern Norway) has relocated, gaining larger storage facilities, including cold storage and freezer facilities. The increased capacity has already produced immediate results, says Managing Director Andreas Jølstad.

About the project

“We’ve received 51 pallets of food over the past three weeks – more than we managed in the rest of the year combined,” says a satisfied Jølstad.

Thanks to a grant of one million Norwegian kroner from Kavli Trust, Matsentralen Sør was able to move into larger premises in June. The funding also secured essential investments, including cold storage and freezer facilities.

“This support has given us the confidence to establish ourselves in the new premises and make the necessary investments,” Jølstad explains.

Opening with the mayor

The official opening took place in June, with the mayor and project partners attending. The event received significant local media coverage, and since then several major suppliers from the food industry have come forward.

“There’s nothing more exciting than receiving food when we have the capacity to store it. With a freezer capable of holding 60 pallets, we become a much more attractive partner for large suppliers, such as Hennig Olsen Ice Cream,” Jølstad says.

Increased capacity

In 2019, Matsentralen Sør redistributed a total of 50 tonnes of food from its previous, much smaller premises in Grimstad.

“This spring has been intense, with operations, relocation, and opening all under COVID-19 restrictions. The support and flexible approach from Kavli Trust has been the cornerstone that allowed us to continue investing in our larger facilities. It’s very rewarding to see results so quickly,” Jølstad says.

“We now have the capacity to secure even more food and reach more people.”

Open every day

Matsentralen Sør is open every day and has remained fully operational throughout the pandemic.

The organisations that collect and use the food come from across the Agder region in southern Norway.

“Now we want to facilitate collaboration between organisations in the same area. Coordinating collections can save a lot of time and resources,” Jølstad explains.

Work training opportunities

The increased activity also creates a need for more hands. Matsentralen Sør will welcome another employee for work training from 30 August.

“This aspect of Matsentralen is very important to me. We provide food, support the community, and give people a new chance. That’s something I’m really proud of,” says Jølstad.

Previously, he has worked with four to five volunteers, with plans to add three to four participants in work training.

“Matsentralen is very well suited for work training, both because of the variety of tasks and the positive environment. Several organisations have already reached out to explore work training opportunities,” he adds.

Holiday support for 100 families

Jølstad, a former real estate agent, describes his days at Matsentralen as busy but rewarding. Every day brings moments that inspire and motivate those who work there. Rescuing food from waste is important, but so are the stories of the people who benefit from it.

“A small local organisation initially arranged a holiday programme for 50 families. When they contacted us, we were able to provide additional food and snacks. This allowed them to extend the offer for another week, so a further 50 families could benefit,” Jølstad explains.

“The work we do is valuable and very meaningful. Supporting local initiatives in this way helps more people, and we’re grateful that Kavli Trust is backing us to make it possible.” he says.

Background – Matsentralen Sør

• Matsentralen Sør was established in Grimstad in 2019.
• Like other food banks (Matsentraler) across Norway, it redistributes surplus food to local charitable organisations supporting vulnerable people.
• Today, Matsentralen Sør has agreements with 25–30 organisations collecting food from its premises.
• The goal is to expand to 35–40 organisations in 2021 and redistribute 120 tonnes of food in 2020 and 240 tonnes in 2021.
• Matsentralen Sør is the seventh food bank in Norway and the newest addition.
• Kavli Trust has supported the establishment of all Norwegian food banks.