Transforming Surplus into Solutions: Carnival Corporation’s Meal Donation Strategy
For many cruisers, **extraordinary onboard dining experiences** form the backbone of their voyage. With Carnival Corporation’s world-class cruise lines serving up **hundreds of millions of gourmet meals** annually, there’s more than just delicious cuisine at play. Beneath the surface lies a mission that tackles food scarcity head-on.
Innovating to Reduce Waste
“It all began nearly a decade ago as we sought to cut food waste and create **less left over**,” recalls Giuseppe Carino, Senior Vice President of Sea-Land Experience Operations at Costa Cruises. The team overhauled aspects of **how they plan, purchase, store, prepare, and serve food**, significantly slashing the unserved meals left onboard. Yet, as in any home kitchen, some **delicious and nutritious meals** inevitably remained post-service.
A Groundbreaking Idea: Partnering with Food Banks
Eager to make a difference, the team initiated a clever idea: collaborating with local food banks in ports of call to **rescue unserved meals**. “We thought it would be a straightforward task—simply call the food banks and arrange for delivery to help feed local families in need,” Carino reflected. Yet, the reality proved much more complex.
Navigating the Legal Labyrinth
Upon reaching out, they were met with **mountains of restrictive laws** that not only prohibited donations but were also ill-equipped for non-traditional food donation programs like theirs. Refusing to abandon their mission, the Costa team pivoted, seeking ways to reform the outdated laws that barred nutritious, ready-to-eat meals from being donated to those grappling with food scarcity.
Teaming up with local authorities and the Fondazione Banco Alimentare food bank in Savona, Italy, they worked tirelessly to **revamp food and beverage regulations**. Their efforts culminated in **2017**, making Costa the **first cruise line in the world** to establish a systematic approach to donate unserved meals to community food banks.
Scaling the Impact Globally
With their initial program successfully launched, the Costa team quickly expanded their efforts to other ports. Just **five months** after the first donation in Savona, they teamed up with Banco Alimentare to introduce their meal recovery program in **Civitavecchia**.
“Twice a week in Civitavecchia, **nutritious surplus food and gourmet meals** are now offloaded from Costa ships,” states John Portelli, General Manager at Roma Cruise Terminal. This life-changing initiative partners with the Red Cross, the Archdiocese of Civitavecchia, and the Rotary Club, reaching **approximately 100 families**, ensuring fewer individuals go to bed hungry—a testament to Costa Cruises’ commitment to community care.
Expanding Horizons: A Global Network
Using Savona as a model, Costa expanded its meal donation program to **16 ports by 2024**, donating **hundreds of thousands of food portions** to communities along the Mediterranean and Caribbean. In a call to action, Sion Riera, president of the food bank in **Palma de Mallorca**, urged the industry: “We welcome other cruise lines to **follow Costa’s lead**.”
A Model for Food Security
As global food waste escalates—**the UN’s FAO estimates 40%** of the food supply is lost or wasted—Carnival Corporation’s cruise meal donation program serves as a **powerful example** of innovative solutions that bolster global food security. As the company plans further program expansion, they embrace the opportunity to share insights across the industry to encourage similar surplus donation practices.
For further details on Carnival Corporation’s long-term sustainability vision, visit their official page here.
