Food Bank Singapore

The Food Bank Singapore acquires donated food, much of which would otherwise be wasted, from farms, manufacturers, distributors, retail stores, consumers, and other sources, and make them available to those in need through a network of members beneficiaries.

Food Bank Singapore was set up by Nichol and Nicholas Ng, a pair of siblings running a food distribution business, FoodXervices Inc Pte Ltd. After observing the food industry for more than a decade, they realized the need for a food bank in Singapore. Founded in January 2012, we were given charity status in August 2012.

Our vision is to be the prevailing centralized coordinating organization for all food donations and to play a key role in the reduction of food wastage within the whole supply chain.

In this interview, Audrey Wong shares her experience working as the management associate of Food Bank Singapore.

1. What is your role in Food Bank Singapore?

I am a management associate. My role involves coordinating with food companies to redistribute excess or close-to-expiry food to our beneficiaries. I also help to organise activities for corporate and group volunteers.

2. Why did you choose this role?

I wanted to understand the perspective of a food donor so that I can potentially influence them to be more open to donating their products. This is especially because I believe that food companies are the key players in reducing food waste in Singapore.

3. What’s the most interesting event that you’ve encountered in your role?

It was when we hosted the first Feed The City in Singapore, where we fed over 800 beneficiaries from 8 of our beneficiary centres. The event, held on 13^th April at City Square Mall, also included cooking demos, booths on sustainable efforts, and talks on food security and food waste.

4. What’s the greatest difficulty that you’ve encountered in your role?

The dilemma between reducing food waste and providing healthier options for our beneficiaries is one of the greatest difficulties that I have encountered.

5. What jobs are available in your organisation?

All current vacancies are listed here.

We are looking for interns with marketing, design or warehouse management expertise. We welcome applications from students who are at least 18 years old.

Marketing / Design / Videography

Advocacy is key in our organization to raise awareness on our mission and highlighting various issues on food insecurity and food waste.

We are looking for interns who are in pursuing a career in this industry.

Interns will be tasked to design marketing collaterals for our events, manage our social media accounts and learn how to contribute and effectively reach out to our followers and partners. They will also be involved in projects to create awareness and informational videos i.e. cooking videos / introduction videos / event or activity videos.

Interns are encouraged to share ideas and let their creative juices flow!

Event and Warehouse Management

With Food Bank Singapore being a food charity organization with IPC status, our inventory management must be as accurate as possible. This means that organising skills is a must!

Interns will be tasked with managing warehouse operations and volunteers to ensure we have an efficient flow i.e. donations in and donations out. You will have to manage lots of food, so you may need to carry heavy food items. Interns will also be assisting in events or activities to spread awareness on our cause. In this area, you will develop organising and time management skills.

6. What skills does Food Bank Singapore look out for in job applicants?

We look out for applicants who are adaptable, willing to help and willing to learn.

7. How can readers access more information about Food Bank Singapore?

They may access our website.