King Asia Foods Pledge £15,000 donation to YWCA Yorkshire

King Asia Foods, a family-run food manufacturer based in South Yorkshire, have announced three year’s funding support for local charity YWCA Yorkshire.   

King Asia Foods, boast a wide-ranging business portfolio and are proud owners of the Mayflower® retail brand, which they manufacture and distribute from their Doncaster headquarters.   

YWCA Yorkshire is a housing and trauma-informed support charity creating better futures for women, children and families in South Yorkshire. The charity was approached directly by King Asia Foods’ Managing Director, So Him Fong, following a charity and business networking session hosted by Doncaster Chamber of Commerce late last year. YWCA Yorkshire are one of three charities that King Asia Foods have committed to work with to deliver local impact, and as the lead-charity, will be the recipients of a donation to the value of £5,000 a year for the next three years.   

In addition to three-years non-restricted giving, King Asia Foods have offered retail discounts to YWCA Yorkshire families, at their Factory Foods stores in Doncaster and Rotherham. Factory Foods is a food clearance and household goods outlet, that retails essential items for affordable prices. The discounts will support families who are struggling to afford everyday items or who need help to furnish a new home after fleeing domestic violence or experiencing a breakdown in their relationships or tenancies.  

About the three-year partnership, Director and co-founder of King Asia Foods, Mr Fong, said, “This is the first time we have engaged in a more structured and longer-term charity relationship in this way. As a business operating for over 40 years, we have been involved in countless community impact projects and supported many charitable causes, but this time we wanted to offer something that could deliver more sustainable outcomes. By having this non-restricted funding model over three-years, we can make sure that YWCA Yorkshire have the space and time to use the money where it is needed now, and to plan for the future of their services. As a business, we are always planning for the longer-term, and this approach is critical to our success – we wanted to give YWCA Yorkshire and its families this same opportunity.    

“When I heard about the work that YWCA Yorkshire do with families experiencing real disadvantages, so close to our premises and in our communities, I wanted to extend our support. Despite having grown in size over 40 years, we are still very much a family run business and as such we really align with the values and the mission of YWCA Yorkshire, which we understand to be a charity that supports people faced with great hardships, who might not have that vital safety net of family and friends to fall back on in difficult times.”   

From its humble beginnings in 1985, today King Asia Foods employ 190 people, and their business portfolio includes a 4.5-acre industrial site, commercial and private property developments and lettings, food manufacturing, retail and goods distribution in the United Kingdom. 

YWCA Yorkshire Fundraising Manager, Sophie Barnett, said: “It has been a delight getting to know Mr Fong, his generosity shines through every time you meet him and honestly, we have been blown away by King Asia Foods’ three-year funding commitment. Mr Fong understands the importance of planning ahead and of accessing funding that isn’t ring-fenced for something very specific, but that can be used to grow the charity’s support in a sustainable way for the people who need it most.”   

YWCA Yorkshire supports 800 people annually in their own homes, in the community, and through three housing projects in Doncaster, Sheffield and Rotherham. Businesses and community groups can learn more about the work of YWCA Yorkshire and how to partner to deliver real impact in South Yorkshire by contacting Sophie Barnett: sophie.barnett@ywcayorkshire.org.uk