Birmingham Food Charity Warns Rising Costs Could Hit Vulnerable Families
Change Kitchen says nurses, working parents and children are increasingly relying on its free meals as inflation and food prices bite
Birmingham social enterprise Change Kitchen has delivered more than 104,000 nutritious meals since the COVID‑19 pandemic and continues to send out between 200 and 400 meals every week to people in need across the city.
Founder and CEO Brigit Kehrer told Hits Radio Birmingham that a recent global surge in fertiliser prices — driven by conflict in the Middle East and rising energy costs — is expected to push up food production costs and grocery bills, increasing pressure on low‑income families and support services.
“Rising costs in farming inputs like fertiliser mean food prices go up across the supply chain,” Kehrer said. “That will make money go even less far for more people, and more families, nurses and working parents will need access to support.”
Global fertiliser prices have jumped sharply in early 2026 after conflict disrupted key shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz and natural gas — a major input in fertiliser production — rose in cost. These pressures have contributed to widespread volatility in food and agricultural prices, raising concerns that consumers will face higher grocery bills throughout the year.
Change Kitchen operates as a social enterprise, generating income through climate‑friendly event catering and reinvesting profits into community support work. Kehrer explained that while the organisation strives to continue and expand its meal deliveries, rising input costs — including food and fuel for delivery — make planning and growth more challenging.
“We will do whatever we can,” she said. “But if need goes up, we want to do more rather than less — and that means securing extra funding and support from the community.”
Change Kitchen also runs programmes helping people with multiple barriers back into work, and Kehrer emphasised that many people in poverty are in work but still struggle to afford basics.
“We see people working two or three jobs who still can’t afford to feed their children and heat their homes,” she said.
To support Change Kitchen, individuals and businesses can donate directly via the website, book the organisation’s catering services — from meetings to weddings — or connect through Instagram and Facebook. All profits from catering are used to fund free meals and community programmes across Birmingham.