Food industry leaders help raise over £100k for charity

The senior figures from two of the UK’s leading international food businesses helped raise the six-figure sum after successfully climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

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’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.”

charity KTC Food Group Paresh Mehta Suki Dulai Surya Foods