In six months, the Utah Food Bank has received 150,000 pounds of food from Smith's grocery stores.
"In the grocery business, we have products that either the formula has been changed, the label has been changed," said Marsha Gilford, vice president of public affairs for Smith's. "They are nutritious items but yet are unsalable."
A new program takes the unsold items from the store shelves and donates it to local food pantries.
"We made the commitment to donate that food to the Utah Food Bank so they can also serve pantries throughout the state," Gilford said.
The stores donates about 10,000 items every week to the food bank. Since March, the program has created 130,000 meals for people in need.
"This adds to our inventory. This is exactly the product that you and I would enjoy in our home so it's ideal for families who are in need," said Genette Bott, Utah Food Bank.
The Columbus Community Center in West Valley City helps sort the food items donated.
