New BrunswickA perishable food rescue centre is under construction in Fredericton that could be a blueprint for others around the country to follow.Greener Village’s perishable food rescue centre could open in JuneRhythm Rathi · CBC News · Posted: Sep 06, 2025 6:00 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoAlex Boyd, CEO of Greener Village in Fredericton, says the new food rescue centre will help the food bank tackle large-scale food donations and provide families with healthier food options. (Submitted by Alex Boyd)The question about what to do with a tractor-trailer load of carrots has finally been answered as construction of Fredericton’s perishable food rescue centre begins.Alex Boyd, CEO of Greener Village, Fredericton’s largest food bank, faced the carrot question seven years ago.Over time, the solution Boyd and his partners came up with was a facility to receive, assess, package and store perishable food.The centre is expected to open in June. (Victoria Walton/CBC)A ceremony was held Saturday to officially break ground for the 6,500-square-foot building, but construction actually began a week ago.Boyd said the hope is to open in June, well in advance of next fall’s harvest.He said the $8-million facility will have an area where large-scale food donations can be assessed. Depending on the shelf life of the food, it could be distributed to clients or sent to the building’s commercial kitchen.”There we have all the equipment we need to peel, dice, chop, steam, cook, flash-freeze any of 100 different items, the kitchen is designed to be very flexible,” he said.Once processed, the food can be stored in commercial-grade refrigeration and freezer systems.Construction work began ahead of schedule last week. (Victoria Walton/CBC)”If we do this right, we do this in a meaningful way … that means in my mind, more high-quality food to people who are struggling,” Boyd said.The project is in partnership with Food Banks Canada and Feed N.B., a non-profit organization.Kirsten Beardsley, CEO of Food Banks Canada, called the idea a “no-brainer” when she first heard of it.Kirsten Beardsley, CEO of Food Banks Canada, says the facility can be a model for future developments. (Victoria Walton/CBC)She said the amount of food available in the country and the existing demand at food banks makes it essential to have such facilities.Greener Village’s Fredericton building to store and process perishable food can help prevent waste while providing families with healthier and fresher food options, she said.”It’s just a solution that we’re looking at replicating right across Canada … we’ve got some other innovative leaders across Canada who are looking very closely to Fredericton,” said Beardsley. New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt said she’s proud that an idea that originated in her province will be copied across Canada to help families.New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt says she is proud that an idea from New Brunswick can inspire other perishable food rescue facilities across the Country. (Victoria Walton/CBC)”The generosity and innovation of New Brunswickers is in the spotlight today.”She said food insecurity is a growing problem and many families are leaning toward food banks.Holt said large amounts of food are often rejected when they don’t meet a purchaser’s standards. Those imperfectly shaped apples or carrots can be processed at this perishable food rescue centre.”I don’t need a perfect apple, but I can understand why that producer needs to sell a perfect apple.”The Food [Rescue] Centre is a real valuable piece of the puzzle because it can take the imperfect stuff and turn that into great nutrition for New Brunswickers.”ABOUT THE AUTHORRhythm Rathi is a reporter with CBC New Brunswick in Moncton. He was born and raised in India, and attended journalism school in Ontario. Send your story tips to rhythm.rathi@cbc.ca With files from Victoria Walton
Fredericton’s food rescue centre to be important piece of food insecurity puzzle
