Social enterprise ensures people, planet, and economy are Well-Fed

Well-Fed’s commitment to a food system that benefits people, the planet, and the economy shows no signs of slowing down with ambitious growth plans receiving key digital support.

Based in Shotton, the social enterprise was created in 2019 through a partnership between Flintshire County Council, housing association ClwydAlyn, and Can Cook, a company that connects people through food.

With a pledge to ensure that everyone has access to zero ultra-processed food that is high in quality, regardless of income, Well-Fed is bidding to triple its current output and provide 60,000 meals per week.

With assistance from Ambition North Wales, which received funding from Flintshire County Council, as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), that goal is becoming increasingly realistic.

Well-Fed has utilised the SME connectivity assessments project to uncover ways to enhance performance, increase productivity, optimise efficiency, and gain a competitive edge.

Through one-to-one consultation, the programme has been able to evaluate current technology use and provide guidance on advancements in digital connectivity.

Currently supplying food to the care and education sectors on a commercial scale and running mobile shops and hubs within communities on a domestic level, Well-Fed has been able to put the foundations in place for a more streamlined operation.

The organisation’s business development manager Niki Keegan said: “The connectivity assessment and advice offered was hugely beneficial in enabling us to focus on business growth areas.

“The plan is to double the size of our kitchen, and therefore significantly enhance the number of meals we can prepare, by spring 2025.

“The support provided will help improve the meal creation process from start to finish, as we will be able to input all data into one centralised place, rather than rely on different forms and pieces of paper.

“We’re also centralising the website so that all orders go through there, and the fact that it is online instead of all done manually by hand means we will be more accurate and know what to expect from an ingredient and finished meal perspective.

“We will also use far less paper, which is another big plus for the environment, whilst some of the tips and advice will help with future funding applications, which are required in order to put fully automated processes in place.”

With a smoother methodology in the pipeline, Well-Fed has been able to look at bridging a gap in the reach of its team of 25, which has been accelerated by the foundations put in place with the support of Ambition North Wales.

To ensure that individuals have access to zero ultra-processed food at work or home, the enterprise is launching MealVend and MealLocker.

MealVend is a 24/7 service, which features reusable dishes, provides hot or cold meals without the need for an on-site canteen. It will reduce waste in a variety of ways, including energy, finances, food, and packaging.

MealLocker offers recipe packs and essential food items for collection from refrigerated outdoor lockers. It provides convenient round-the-clock access to easy-to-follow recipes and the necessary ingredients for busy individuals, fostering cookery skills and minimising food waste.

Niki added: “2025 promises to be a fantastic year for Well-Fed, and with that, we hope the community in which we operate is enhanced, thanks to the commitment to what we do and the goals we have set.

“The introduction of both MealVend and MealLocker will only increase our reach and grow the number of people on the journey to eating more healthily and sustainably.”

The SME connectivity assessments project, led by Ambition North Wales, was funded by the UK Government through the UKSPF and delivered in the counties of Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, and the Isle of Anglesey.

Gwenllian Brassington, Shared Prosperity Fund project manager from Ambition North Wales, said: “We appreciated the opportunity to support Well-Fed with its connectivity assessments, which highlighted valuable ways to streamline and enhance operations.

“Being able to have a positive impact on businesses in the region is fantastic, and from the feedback received, Well-Fed has certainly benefitted and seems to be on an upward curve.”

Councillor Chris Dolphin, Flintshire County Council cabinet member for economy, environment, and climate, said: “The UKSPF has done so much positive work, and with the help of Ambition North Wales, the impact made on Well-Fed is fantastic to see.

“The huge benefit is that by helping this social enterprise, the funding has therefore played a part in benefiting the Flintshire community as a whole, and that is a wonderful byproduct of the work being done.”

Ambition North Wales received £211,543 from Flintshire’s allocation of the UK government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).