Patties Foods donated a full-day’s production of its iconic Four’N Twenty pies, in total 138,000 pies, to Australia’s largest hunger relief organisation, Foodbank.

More than 70 staff and management volunteered their time to produce the pies for Foodbank at Patties Foods state-of-the-art bakery at Bairnsdale, Victoria, in June. All of Patties Foods’ suppliers, from ingredients through to packaging and transport nationally, have donated their materials and services for the production run, free of charge.

Foodbank Australia CEO, John Webster said the collaboration by Patties Foods and its suppliers to donate 60 pallets of Four’N Twenty meat pies, with a retail value of more than $250,000, filled a big gap in Foodbank’s ability to feed the nation’s hungry.

“Four’N Twenty pies are an iconic food that are not only much loved, but also provide high protein content,” Mr Webster said.

“This is a huge boost to Foodbank’s ability to feed the hungry, and we commend Patties Foods and its suppliers for their generous support.

“There are going to be a lot of very happy faces when they see Four’N Twenty pies on the Foodbank menu.”

Patties Foods managing director, Greg Bourke said his production staff and management team were enthusiastic supporters of Foodbank and all suppliers had been quick to jump on board to ensure there would be no cost to Foodbank.

“It’s tragic to think of any child or adult going hungry in Australia and we are delighted to do our bit to help fight hunger. Foodbank is a great cause and rightly deserves the support of all sectors of the Australian food industry,” Mr Bourke said.

“We are hoping to make this volunteer production day for Foodbank an annual event on Patties Foods’ calendar, continuing the legacy of the company’s founding shareholders, the Rijs family, in giving to and sharing with the community.”

Organisations that donated materials and services to support Patties Foods in the production, packaging and national delivery of the pies for Foodbank included Allied Mills, Agri Food Ingredients, Ben Furney Flour Mills, Cargill Food Ingredients, Cheetham Salt and Peerless Holdings.