Cargill supplies Gemini Cooking Oil to fuel 1,00,000+ families to support COVID-19 relief efforts in Pune, Maharashtra

• Cargill India pledges 16 million meals across India by providing nutrition to 150,000 families across 16 states
  
• Product donations include Gemini Cooking Oil, NatureFresh Acti Lite and NatureFresh Atta, besides monetary contribution to the PM Cares Fund
  

National, 28^th April 2020 – As COVID-19 continues to spread, there is a growing need to feed the most vulnerable communities in our society. In line with its purpose of nourishing the world, Cargill has pledged support to families through dry ration kits containing Gemini Cooking Oil and NatureFresh Acti Lite along with NatureFresh Atta and cooked meals. The relief efforts will impact families across cities like Delhi/ NCR, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune to name a few. This is in line with Cargill India’s pledge to support 16 million meals across the country, providing nutrition to 150,000 families across 16 states.

Maharashtra is a key market for Cargill’s edible oils business in India. In Pune, Cargill is working with the District Administration (Pune Zilla Parishad) to supply Gemini Cooking Oil to 1,00,000 families in need in the region. Additionally, the organisation is also working with NGO partners to supply cooked meals and family kits to impacted families in the region, as well.  We are working with The Akshaya Patra Foundation, Zomato Feeding India, MagicBus India Foundation and India Food Banking Network in Maharashtra, to ensure that relief and recovery efforts are being effectively directed to the communities who are most affected.

Along with this, contractual workers at Kurkumbh where Cargill’s edible oil plant is located, are being provided cooked meals daily. Cargill is also allotting hygiene kits for all contract workers, distributing masks and making sanitizers available to local communities near the plants.

Cargill is also contributing to the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM Cares Fund) to help fight the pandemic. Given its extensive distribution network, the oils business is also leveraging its own distribution network and working with local state authorities to meet hyper-local needs with in-kind donations across the country.

Cargill has curated an AV which can be viewed below:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVtb4S0QEUg&feature=youtu.be
  
  Mr. Piyush Patnaik, Managing Director, Cargill’s oils business in India said, “The present circumstances have impacted every industry and community across the world. Given the nature of our business, we are aware of our responsibility and are working tirelessly to supply essential commodities where most needed. We are also ensuring distribution of sanitization kits to our workers and the communities where we operate. We are supporting local authorities and reaching out through NGO partners to provide food items and meals to nourish those affected. We will continue to support our employees and communities in this time of need.