Hackney food charity raises £5k through sales of its ‘delicious’ plant-based burger

Fuller’s has sold thousands of the burgers. Photograph: Rebecca Zephyr Thomas

Popular local charity Made In Hackney has raised a tasty £5,000 for its community food projects – with its new plant-based burger selling in the thousands.

The charity, which runs a community cookery school and an emergency food support service, teamed up with Fuller’s brewery to sell the carbon-cutting burger in pubs and hotels across the country.

With 50p of every sale donated back to Made In Hackney, the partnership has filled up the charity’s coffers along with customers’ bellies.

Expert chefs at the cookery school developed the burger as a nutritious alternative to imitation meat.

The patty is made up of mushrooms, beetroot, quinoa and more, and is topped with smoked vegan cheese, tahini-dressed kale, balsamic tomatoes and a secret sauce.

Made In Hackney founder Sarah Bentley said: “Developing a plant-based burger for Fuller’s has been an incredible opportunity for our cookery school and charity.

“Not only does it mean customers have a delicious wholefood, plant-based burger option – but the funds raised help us to provide emergency food support and life changing plant-centered food education classes.

“No-one should go hungry or not know how to prepare a nourishing meal. Our work tackles this injustice.

“Thank you Fuller’s for supporting us to do this vital work.”

The burger has been on sale since August last year and will continue to be available in a number of venues managed by Fuller’s.

The brewery’s director of sustainability, Ollie Rosevear, said: “Plant-based burgers are significantly less carbon intense than those made of beef – using roughly 60 per cent less carbon. We’ve sold nearly 10,000 Made In Hackney burgers, producing 30 fewer tons of carbon emissions than an equivalent number of burgers made from beef.

“Being able to give our customers an opportunity to enjoy a delicious burger while reducing their impact on the planet is fantastic. It’s also brilliant to know that a portion of the sales of the burger is going to a local cause that supports vital education about learning basic cooking skills, and choosing healthier and more sustainable options.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what this partnership will bring in the future.”

Made In Hackney launched its emergency food service during the pandemic and has continued it, with the help of crowdfunding, to support people through the cost-of-living crisis.

Find out more about the charity’s work at madeinhackney.org.