Cultivate Food Rescue

What Cultivate Food Rescue does

Cultivate Food Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in South Bend, Indiana, that rescues surplus edible food from grocery stores, restaurants, farms, manufacturers, distributors, and universities for redistribution to food-insecure communities across St. Joseph, Elkhart, and Marshall Counties. The organization operates a refrigerated truck fleet running seven days per week, a 22,000-square-foot cold storage facility with capacity for 2,200 pallet positions, and a volunteer-powered kitchen that converts rescued food into frozen meals. Programs include the Kids Weekend Backpack Program (filling the 68-hour gap between Friday school lunch and Monday breakfast for roughly 1,500 students across 62 schools in nine districts), the Cultivate Cares Food Network (CCFN) which redistributes perishable food to more than 200 partner pantries and shelters via a proprietary online ordering platform, the Summer Backpack Program, and the Meat Hunger Program which sources protein through 4-H youth livestock auctions.

Technology infrastructure centers on the CCFN online ordering system (ccfn.cultivateculinary.com), which allows partner agencies to view available rescued-food inventory and place orders from phones or computers, and a recently completed solar parking structure that reduces facility energy consumption by 67%. The organization does not sell food; all rescued product is distributed at no cost to partner agencies and end recipients.

The revenue model is purely donation-based, with three streams: individual donations (including a $50/month recurring program that sponsors weekend meals for one child), corporate sponsorships (truck sponsorships, event sponsors, employee volunteer programs, ESG partnerships), and foundation grants from entities such as the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, AEP Foundation, Lippert, Community Foundation of St. Joseph County, and Mary Cross Tippmann Foundation. Signature fundraising events include the annual Taste of Hope gala and Golf Classic. The organization reports 14 full-time and 6 part-time employees, 8,000+ volunteers in 2024, Charity Navigator 4-Star rating, and a Candid Platinum Seal. A recently completed $10.6 million capital campaign financed the cold storage facility, Elkhart volunteer facility, and solar infrastructure.

Name

Cultivate Food Rescue

Legal name

Cultivate Food Rescue

Website

https://cultivatefoodrescue.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cultivate Food Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that rescues surplus food via refrigerated trucks and redistributes it through school backpack programs and a network of 200+ pantry partners, serving 63,000 food-insecure residents across three northern Indiana counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Rescue and Hunger Relief Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD), Food Waste Reduction & Diversion Services (Donation, Animal Feed, Source Reduction Programs) (EUAIAEAH), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

Keywords

• Food rescue services
• Food redistribution logistics
• Hunger relief programs
• Perishable food storage
• Nonprofit food banking

Headquarters

HQ city

South Bend

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Cultivate relies entirely on charitable donations from individuals, ranging from one-time gifts to monthly recurring donations. No food is sold; all rescued food is distributed free of charge to partner agencies.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide financial support through event sponsorships, annual corporate sponsorships, truck sponsorship programs, and general operating donations. In return, corporations receive ESG benefits, marketing exposure, and employee volunteer opportunities.
3. Foundation and Grant Funding: Grants from foundations such as Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, AEP Foundation, Lippert, Stanley A. & Flora P. Clark Memorial Community Trust Foundation, and others support operations and capital expansion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Cultivate Food Rescue collects surplus edible food from grocery stores, restaurants, manufacturers, distributors, and farms using a fleet of refrigerated trucks, stores it in a 22,000 sq ft cold storage facility, and redistributes it free of charge through the Backpack Program (weekend meals for food-insecure children), the Cultivate Cares Food Network (perishable food for 200+ partner pantries via an online ordering platform), and the Summer Backpack Program. All rescued food is distributed at no cost to recipient agencies and families.

Product overview

Cultivate Food Rescue operates as a food rescue nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offerings include Food Rescue (collecting excess food via refrigerated trucks), the Backpack Program (distributing frozen meals to food-insecure children on weekends), and the Cultivate Cares Food Network (redistributing food to 200+ partner pantries through an online ordering platform). Supporting programs include the Summer Backpack Program (seasonal distribution), Meat Hunger Program (4-H protein sourcing), and volunteer meal packaging operations. All programs are coordinated through their South Bend headquarters and new Elkhart facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cultivate Cares Food Network: A food pantry support system that provides perishable food items to food pantries in the three-county area at no cost to the pantries.
• Backpack Program
• Meat Hunger Program
• Summer Backpack Program

Products and services

• Kids Weekend Backpack Program Cultivate's flagship program that provides weekend meals to food-insecure children. Rescued food is converted into nutritious frozen meals delivered to schools for children to take home, filling the 68-hour gap between Friday lunch and Monday breakfast.
• Summer Backpack Program Seasonal extension of the Backpack Program that distributes meals during summer months when school is not in session, utilizing parks, libraries, and community centers as distribution locations.
• Cultivate Cares Food Network (CCFN) Food pantry support system that redistributes rescued perishable food to over 200 partner pantries, soup kitchens, and organizations at no cost, featuring the CCFN online ordering platform for partners.
• Food Rescue Pick-up Service Core service of collecting excess edible food from farms, grocery stores, restaurants, and dining facilities using a fleet of refrigerated trucks for redistribution to those in need.
• Meat Hunger Program Protein sourcing initiative that purchases beef, pork, and lamb from 4-H youth livestock auctions to supplement protein needs in backpack meals and pantry distribution.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10 million pounds of food rescued since 2016
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and standard.

• University of Notre DamecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Founding partner that initiated Cultivate's food rescue operations. Donates food from dining halls, athletic events, and campus restaurants. Provides financial support, volunteers, board participation, and student internships. Also selected Cultivate for Cleats for a Cause charity partnership.
• KrogermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor and food donor committed to improving food access and creating communities free of hunger. Donates excess food and provides financial support.
• Trader Joe'smajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood donor partner providing high-quality, healthy ingredients including fresh produce, meat, and dairy. Store manager John McCall cited as champion of sustainability initiatives.
• Whole FoodsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGrocery store food donor providing fresh produce, meat, and dairy donations.
• TargetmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood donor, notably rescued thousands of pounds of perishable and frozen food after a power outage at a Superstore location.
• Century CenterstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerExecutive Chef Marc Rossetti donates prepared food from catering events and coordinates pan swaps with Cultivate weekly.
• 4-H ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMeat Hunger program purchases beef, pork, and lamb from 4-H youth livestock auctions, supporting local agriculture and young farmers while addressing protein gaps in food relief.
• Feed the HungrymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor food donor contributing 100,000+ pounds of food annually.
• General WholesalemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor food donor contributing 100,000+ pounds of food annually.
• Midwest Food BankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor food donor contributing 100,000+ pounds of food annually.
• NFI/Bimbo BakeriesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor food donor contributing 100,000+ pounds of food annually.
• CostcomajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood donor contributing 50,000+ pounds of food annually.
• Notre Dame AthleticscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor donor of food from athletic events including football games, basketball games, and hockey games. Participated in Cleats for a Cause program.
• Beacon Health SystemmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerEagle sponsor for 2026 Golf Classic. Partner in food relief efforts.
• DJ ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerManaged structural design and oversight for cold storage facility and solar canopy construction. Active supporter of capital campaign.
• Chick-fil-AstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant food donor contributing 10,000-49,999 pounds of food annually.
• Meijer Distribution CentermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor food donor contributing 10,000-49,999 pounds of food annually.
• Culver AcademystandardGTM or Marketing PartnerSchool food donor contributing 10,000-49,999 pounds of food annually.
• Bimbo BakeriesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood donor contributing 100,000+ pounds through NFI/Bimbo Bakeries partnership.
• Raydia Food GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormerly Stanz and Troyer merger; provides excess food donations (4,000+ lbs monthly including protein), financial contributions, and employee volunteer sessions. Aligned ESG goals around feeding community and environmental stewardship.
• K2 (South Bend)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDesigned and installed solar parking structure system.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Food Forward: California-based food rescue nonprofit that gleans and redistributes produce from farms and wholesale markets. Comparable in food-rescue mission and volunteer-driven model; differs in focusing on produce/fresh rather than Cultivate's mixed-donor cold-chain approach.
• Food Rescue US: National nonprofit that uses an app-based platform to redirect surplus food from restaurants and grocers directly to food-insecure communities. Closest direct peer in food-rescue logistics model, though Cultivate adds a cold-chain and meal-packing layer.
• Philabundance: Philadelphia-area food rescue and hunger-relief nonprofit distributing millions of pounds of food annually. Comparable in mission and pantry distribution; Cultivate adds the weekend backpack-meal component for children.
• Rescuing Leftover Cuisine: Nonprofit that rescues surplus food from restaurants and corporate cafeterias and delivers it to shelters. Comparable in direct-donation food-rescue model, though smaller in scale and without Cultivate's cold-storage/meal-packaging component.
• Mid-Ohio Food Collective: Regional food bank serving central and eastern Ohio with food distribution and pantry support. Comparable in operating a regional food redistribution network with corporate and donor partnerships at a similar nonprofit scale.
• Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana: Indianapolis-based food bank serving central Indiana, the closest in-state peer to Cultivate. Comparable in hunger-relief mission and statewide service model, but does not focus on refrigerated/perishable rescue to the same degree as Cultivate.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: Largest U.S. hunger-relief nonprofit network with ~200 member food banks. Comparable in mission (rescuing and redistributing food to people facing hunger) but operates nationally and at vastly greater scale than Cultivate.
• No Kid Hungry (Share Our Strength): National campaign ending childhood hunger by connecting kids to meals at school and beyond. Highly comparable in the Backpack Program and weekend-meal focus, but operates as a grantmaker/advocate rather than a direct food handler like Cultivate.
• Meals on Wheels America: National hunger-relief nonprofit network providing meal delivery to seniors. Overlaps with Cultivate in mission and volunteer-driven meal delivery, but serves an elderly population rather than schoolchildren/families.

Regional players

• Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana: Indiana-based regional food bank. Comparable in mission and state-level geography, though Cultivate's perishable-handling infrastructure and meal-packing operation distinguish it.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cultivatefoodrescue
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cultivate-food-rescue
• Instagraminstagram.com/cultivate.foodrescue

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cultivate Food Rescue