The company engaged with the charity initiative last June when it launched ‘Dia Láctea’, its new private-label brand of milk produced in Spain.
The aim of the ‘Dia Láctea’ range is to offer a high-quality, sustainable alternative.
The initiative relates to one of the main lines of action in DIA’s Strategic Sustainability Plan, which is to reduce the food gap.
Las Rozas de Madrid (Madrid), 19 October 2021. DIA has donated one million glasses of milk (285,000 litres) to the Spanish Federation of Food Banks (FESBAL) and its 54 associated food banks. Milk is a staple food item that should be drunk regularly as part of a balanced diet.
When its private-label milk brand, ‘Dia Láctea’, was launched in June, the company committed to donating twelve lorries of milk to this organisation to give the people using the food banks access to the minimum amount of dairy products recommended by nutritionists and dieticians.
This initiative is part of DIA’s Strategic Sustainability Plan, which focuses on reducing the food gap by promoting access to healthy food for vulnerable families, helping them to maintain a varied, balanced and nutritious diet.
“Providing access to food for society as a whole and reducing the food gap are important challenges in which DIA aims to play an active role by promoting various initiatives and projects in conjunction with partners such as the Spanish Federation of Food Banks”, explains Trinidad Dávila Ruiz, Sustainability Manager at DIA Spain.
Miguel Fernández, Head of FESBAL, stated that “the Spanish Federation of Food Banks and its 54 associated food banks are particularly grateful that supermarket chains such as DIA are joining in with charity initiatives to help the work done by food banks. Following the Covid-19 health crisis, this type of initiative is essential for maintaining warehouse stocks and continuing to serve the most disadvantaged people”.
‘Dia Láctea’ and its sustainability impact
DIA’s new private-label milk range is 100% Spain-sourced to support the local community and suppliers, with added value for the end consumer and for society, guaranteeing the sustainability of processes and respecting the environment.
Both the value-added milks, such as Omega 3, Calcium and Vitamin D, and the lactose-free range are Animal Welfare certified, which guarantees good practice throughout the production chain improving product quality and offering maximum transparency to the end consumer.
‘Dia Láctea’ also has the FSC seal, which indicates that the paper used in its packaging comes from sustainably managed forests. DIA has also removed plastic from its new milk range and replaced it with recycled and recyclable cardboard cartons.
About FESBAL
The Spanish Federation of Food Banks (FESBAL) is a not for profit organisation created in November 1995, coordinating the activities of the 54 associated food banks and working with all kinds of public and private organisations both nationally and internationally. FESBAL encourages food to be collected and distributed free of charge. In 2020, over 158.7 million kilos were distributed to 1.5 million vulnerable and needy individuals, using a network of over 7,955 charities and thanks to the hard work of 3,327 permanent volunteers.
In 2010, the Federation was declared to be of public interest.
FESBAL received the Prince of Asturias Award for Concord in 2012.
