Senior figures from two of the UK’s leading international food businesses have helped raise more than £100,000 for charity after successfully climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak.
Suki Dulai of Surya Foods and Paresh Mehta, CEO of KTC Food Group, were joined on the expedition by Alan Perry of Blueprint Property Group, his 14-year-old son Finley, and healthcare author Sam Amory.
The group completed the climb in December in support of three charities: World Food Aid, the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation and Havens Hospices, raising more than £100,000 in total.
The Kilimanjaro challenge presented extreme conditions, including trekking at altitudes above 19,000 feet, hiking for six to eight hours per day over a five-to-nine-day period while carrying expedition gear, and facing temperatures ranging from tropical heat at the base to around −15°C near the summit.
Paresh Mehta, CEO of KTC Food Group, raised more than £46,000 for the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation. The foundation was established in memory of 15 year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse who died in 2016 after suffering a severe allergic reaction. Natasha collapsed on a British Airways flight shortly after eating a baguette purchased from Pret A Manger at Heathrow Airport that contained sesame seeds which were not listed on the packaging. Her death sparked a national campaign, led by her parents, which resulted in Natasha's Law, requiring full ingredient labelling on all pre-packed food made on site. The legislation came into force in the UK in 2021.
“Natasha’s Law is already saving lives and I am proud to support the foundation’s work. The climb was incredibly demanding, but knowing we were raising funds for such important causes made the difference,” said Mehta.
Suki Dulai, CEO of Flying Trade Group (behind world food specialists Surya Foods), also raised more than £46,000 for World Food Aid, a UK charity which has supported organisations including the British Red Cross, FareShare and The Trussell Trust since it was founded in 2011. Recent initiatives have delivered 100,000 meals to Ukrainian refugees and provided emergency water aid into Gaza.
Speaking about the challenge, Dulai said: “This was one of the toughest physical and mental challenges I have ever faced. Despite months of training, nothing prepares you for the conditions on Kilimanjaro. The generosity of family, friends and colleagues who supported the causes that were close to all of our hearts genuinely helped carry us through.”
Meanwhile, 14-year-old Finley Perry from Brentwood, a Year 10 pupil at Becket Keys Church of England School, raised almost £20,000 for Havens Hospices in memory of his grandmother, Janice. You can read Finley’s story and view his touching photo gallery here.