The letter, coordinated by Pip & Nut CEO Pippa Murray, was sent to prime minister Keir Starmer, foreign secretary David Lammy and all MPs demanding action on the systematic starvation of Palestinians by Israel.
It comes on the back of the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification declaring that famine is currently playing out in Gaza, and a week after the Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch wrote that Israel was using the depravation of food as a weapon of war.
Starmer said this week that the UK would recognise a Palestinian state unless Israel agreed to a ceasefire, but campaigners have said the gesture falls far short of the action needed to stop famine and end the blockade on aid.
Instead, the letter calls for the opening of all land border crossings into Gaza immediately; the full flow of food, water, medicine, fuel and shelter via the United Nations; an end to Israel’s siege on Gaza; and an immediate ceasefire to allow humanitarian access, hostage release and the recovery of Gaza.
Signatories of the letter include managing director of food at Co-op Matt Hood, Innocent co-founder Richard Reed and Cook Foods CEO Edward Perry. The full list of signatories can be found at the bottom of the piece.
“The worst fear of any parent is not just watching their child go hungry, but watching them die from starvation,” the letter reads.
“That nightmare is playing out in Gaza today, where infants lie so weak they can barely raise their heads.
“As food and drink brands dedicated to feeding communities, we cannot stand silently by while so many people – innocent and already traumatised – are left to wonder, ‘Will I eat today?’”
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and numerous scholars have found that Israel is committing genocide, and the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, and Yoav Gallant, the former Israeli minister of defence, for their role in war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Meanwhile, a Lancet study from more than a year ago said the Palestinian death toll could have already exceeded 186,000.
“When you work in a food business, you can’t look away from what’s happening in Gaza,” Murray added.
“This is not a political issue – it’s a moral one. Every day that passes without decisive action is another day a child could die from hunger.”
The Israeli assault on Gaza was condemned by the board of ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s in June, which said in a statement that it joins “those around the world who denounce the genocide in Gaza”, while retailer Co-op has said that it is stopping trading with Israel after 73% of its members backed a motion calling for the move at last month’s AGM.
Full list of signatories:
- Pip Murray, CEO and Founder, Pip & Nut
- Matt Hood, Managing Director of Food, Co-op Group
- Richard Reed, Co-Founder, Innocent
- Edward Perry, CEO & Co-Founder, Cook Foods
- Mark Cuddigan, CEO, THIS!
- Paul Brown, Founder & CEO, BOL Foods
- Cassandra Stavrou, Founder, PROPER Snacks
- Jenny Costa, Founder & CEO, Rubies in the Rubble
- Harry Mayhew, Co-Founder, Ember Snacks
- Jack Mayhew, Co-Founder, Ember Snacks
- Emilie Holmes, Founder, Good & Proper
- Tom Forsythe, Managing Director, Good & Proper
- Giles Brook, Chairman, Pip & Nut
- Anuradha Chugh, Ex-CEO, Pukka Herbs*
- Jac Chetland, Co-Founder, Surreal
- Kit Gammell, Co-Founder, Surreal
- Scott Davies, Founder & CEO, Hilltop Honey
- Barney Mauleverer, Co-founder, FUEL10K, Chair at Future of Food
- Jon Walsh, Co-Founder & CEO, Bio & Me
- Andrew Hunt, Co-Founder & CEO, Aduna Foods
- Lisa Macfarlane, Co-Founder, The Gut Stuff
- Alana Macfarlane, Co-Founder, The Gut Stuff
- Joe Roberts-Walker, Founder, Mejuicer
- Emily Tout, Co-Founder, Mighty Slice
- Jamie Cumming, Co-Founder, Mighty Slice
- Paul Hargreaves, CEO, Cotswold Fayre
- Josie Harfield, Co-Founder, Neat
- Ryan McSorley, Co-Founder, Neat
- Duncan Goose, Founder, One Water & The One Foundation
- Sara Trechman, Co-Founder & Director, Well&Truly
- Sam Moss, Co-Founder, STOCKED
- Charlie Gilpin, Co-Founder, STOCKED
- Duncan O’Brien, Founder, Dalston’s
- Elin Roberts, Co-Founder, Better Nature
- Christopher Wong, Co-Founder, Better Nature
- Ando Ahnan-Winarno, Co-Founder, Better Nature
- Fabio Rinaldo, Co-Founder, Better Nature
- Ed Hauck, Co-Founder, The Curators
- Max Rees, Co-Founder, The Curators
- Imme Ermgassen, Co-Founder, Botivo
- Sam Paget Steavenson, Co-Founder, Botivo
- Oussama Azzam, Founder, Maliks Honey
- Stu Forsyth, Founder, Minor Figures
- Laura Harnett, Founder, Seep
- Damien Gray, Founder & CEO, Soak’d
- Erin Moroney, Founder, Nibble Simply
- Damien Kennedy, Founder & CEO, WheyHey
- Dan Kaminski, Co-Founder, WheyHey
- Pete Joubert, Managing Director, MOMA
- Laura Willoughby MBE, Co-Founder, Club Soda
- Alex Theophanous, CEO, Mahabis
- Dr Megan Rossi, Founder of The Gut Health Doctor & Bio&Me
- Nikki Garg, Co-Founder, Kwerky
- Suhani Bhudia, Co-Founder, Kwerky
- Tamoy Carter, Co Founder, Super Nature
- Fergus O’Sullivan, Founder, Nice Rice
- Luke Montgomery-Smith, Co-Founder, PLINK!
- Ella Harland, Co-Founder, Griddle
- Sophie McGregor, Co-Founder, Griddle
- Luke Boase, Founder, Lucky Saint
- Kat Stennett, Co-founder, Myota
- Thomas Gurry, Co-founder, Myota
- Jeremy May, Co-Founder, Nice Wine
- Raissa De Hass, Co-Founder, Double Dutch
- Joyce De Hass, Co-Founder, Double Dutch
- Olivia Ferdi, Founder & Co-CEO, TRIP
- Daniel Khoury, Founder & Co-CEO, TRIP
- Alex Steward, Founder & CEO, PACK’D
- Steve Kearns, Managing Director, Cawston Press
- Chris Cheadle, Co-Founder & Managing Director, The Northern Dough Co.
- Amy Cheadle, Co-Founder, The Northern Dough Co.
- James Hughes, Founder, Brewgooder
- Alan Mahon, Founder, Brewgooder
- Mike Turner, Founder & Managing Director, Bird & Blend Tea
- Helena Hills, Co-Founder & CEO, Truestart Coffee
- Kate Prince, Founder, Ancient & Brave
- Rana Righton, Founder & Managing Director, The Gluten Free Bakery
- Maxine Laceby, Co-Founder, Absolute Collagen
- Darcy Laceby, Co-Founder, Absolute Collagen
- Alice Wainwright, Co-Founder, RISE Coffee Box
- Ben Charalambous, Co-Founder, RISE Coffee Box
- Hugh Thomas, Founder, Giants Coffee
- Ingo Braeunlich, Founder, ADONiS
- Sally Preston MBE, Founder, Kiddylicious & Start Up investor
- Alex Wright, CEO & Co-Founder, DASH Water
- Jack Scott, Co-Founder, DASH Water
- Paul Turton, CEO, Pact Coffee
- Rob Martineau, Co-Founder, Tribe
- Karen O’Flaherty, Co-Founder, Pip Organic
- Patrick O’Flaherty, Co-Founder, Pip Organic
- Olly Hiscocks, Founder, Ollys
- Dan Webber, Founder & Managing Director, Chimney Fire Coffee
- Paul Bethke, Founder & CEO, Lemonaid
- Freya Twigden, Founder, Fix8
- Harriet Hastings, Founder, The Biscuiteers
- George Lamb, Co-Founder, Wildfarmed
- Shezad Aslan, Aagrah Foods
- Tor Hunt-Taylor, General Manager, The Collective
- Mark Prove, Co-Founder, Zuppe
- James Livingstone-Wallace, CEO & Founder, Quinola Mothergrain
- Monique Foy, CEO & Co-Founder, Cosmic Dealer
- James Ives, Co Founder, Alt Water
- Alicia Weston BEM, CEO and founder, Bags of Taste
- Ed Williams, Co-Founder, Candy Kittens
- Bethan Higson, Founder, Mother Root
- Adam Sopher, Founder & CEO, Joe & Sephs
- Simon Day, Co-Founder, Wholesome Heroes
- Duncan Keith, Co-Founder, Days Brewing
- Jayne Hynes, Co-Founder, Rinaldo’s Speciality Tea & Coffee
- Bobby Patel, CEO, Whatever Brands
- Fakhruddin Paisawala, CEO, Fresh4U
- Francesca Zampi, CEO & Founder, YEW
- Ellie Pheobe Brown, Founder, Kinda Co
- Rosamund Heathcote, CEO & Founder, Borough Broth
- Hannah McCollum, CEO & Founder, ChicP
- Tom Warner, Founder & Co-CEO, Warner’s Distillery
- Tina Warner-Keogh, Founder & Co-CEO, Warner’s Distillery
- Jim Cregan, Founder, Jimmy’s Iced Coffee
- Trever Smallwood, Cillus Ltd
- Chris Morrison, Co-Founder, Karma Drinks
- Dylan McMahon, Co-Founder, Kendamil
- Will McMahon, Co-Founder, Kendamil
- Ross McMahon, Co-Founder, Kendamil
- James Cadbury, Founder, Love Cocoa
- Tom Stevens, Operations Director, Cambridge Commodities
- Kirsty Henshaw, Co-Founder, Kirsty’s
- Mark Goddard, CEO, Organix
- Natalia Bojanic, Co Founder, Form Nutrition
- Jagir Mankodi, Co Founder, Superfoodio
- Nirali Buch Mankodi, Co Founder, Superfoodio
- Suzie Bakos, Founder, The Little Sauce
- Alistair Frost, Founder, Pentire
- Mark Dyer, Founder, The Gay Farmer
- Manal Ramadan White, CEO, Zaytoun CIC
- Chester Robinson, Founder, RAISE Snacks
- Gini Newton, Founder, Karma Cans/Karma Kitchens
- Eccie Newton, Founder, Karma Cans/Karma Kitchens
- Alex Webster, Co-Founder and Managing Director, GENIE Drinks
- Riya Patel, Co-Founder, All the Aunties
- Jack Newton, Co-Founder, All the Aunties
- Priya Pankhania, Co-Founder, Prepear
- Zee Ahmed, Co-Founder, Raju Sauces
- Stephanie Buttery, Founder, Chu Lo Drinks
- Will Huhes, Founder, What Willy Cook
- Ira Guha, Founder, Asan
- Lilijan Sulejmanovic, Founder, Bardo
- Suzie Bakos, Founder, The Little Sauce
- Adejare Doherty, Founder, Wholeleaf
- Imogen Royall, Co-Founder and CEO, Northern Pasta
- Paula Raubenheimer, Founder, Marty’s Virgin Bloody Mary
- Kate Kofman, CEO, Pesto
