EXCLUSIVE: Antonio Carluccio Foundation CEO said extending grants was “right thing to do” amidst COVID-19 pandemic
This is despite the fact that it would shorten the life of the foundation.
The Antonio Carluccio Foundation was set up by its namesake founder in a bid to help combat malnutrition and provide developmental support for disadvantaged persons.
Its current CEO, Simon Kossoff, said the organisation anticipated that the funding would allow the foundation to issue grants for about ten years.
But seeing how the COVID-19 pandemic was devastating the hospitality sector, they knew that they needed to act.
“We felt very strongly that Antonio would have wanted to help. So we decided to extend the level of our grants by about three and a half times this year. It will shorten the life of the foundation, but we think it's the right thing to do,” Kossoff said in an exclusive interview with QSR Media.
The trustees of the Antonio Carluccio Foundation agreed to make grants in 2020 of up to £500,000 in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Said funds will be available in support of emergency feeding and to support initiatives involving or benefitting the sector as well as other projects addressing the impact of COVID-19 in the UK and Italy.
Charities working in these areas are invited to apply for grants up to £10,000 in their official website. Kossoff confirmed that they have already approved a donation to Compassion London whilst discussing grants to the #FeedNHS collective and Hospitality Action.
“We've got about eight or 10 live applications that we're dealing with. And I suspect as word gets out that we'll have some more,” he said.
Kossoff also said that he was “saddened” when he heard Carluccio's namesake chain falling into administration, having worked there for 17 years.
“I only hope from a personal perspective that someone decides to find value in the brand even in these difficult times,” he said.
Kossoff also lauded the government’s furlough scheme, describing it as “very important” during the country’s ongoing lockdown.
“Whilst I'm not directly involved with companies anymore, people who I am speaking to recognise it as a critical step. I certainly think it's a good start. And I know that other people in the sector think so too,” he said.
At this stage, Kossoff said it is “impossible” to determine how businesses will withstand the current environment.
“I suspect that people are concentrating on securing the furloughs for their teams, securing the mothballing of their business and so on, rather than thinking about what it looks like on the other side,” he said.
