15 September 2026: Britain’s ‘real-life Forrest Gump’, ultra-marathon runner Rob Pope, has completed a 569-mile coast-to-coast challenge with Nestlé across Britain, helping to unlock the equivalent of over 175,000 meals for Felix, the UK’s largest food redistribution charity.

Rob set off from Nestlé Ayrshire on Scotland’s west coast earlier this month (2nd September), travelling through the chocolate city of York, the home of KitKat, to the distribution heartlands of the Midlands before completing The Taste Trail today (15th September) on the south coast in Brighton. Along the way, he met the farmers, factory workers and communities behind some of the food we eat every day. He got to meet the people who bring some of the nation’s favourite food to life, and even run a few miles of the trail alongside them.

For every mile covered by Rob, Nestlé is donating more than 300 meal equivalents to Felix, helping the charity redistribute more food to people who need it most.

Rob Pope, British ultra-marathon runner, said:

"When I set off from Ayrshire, I knew I was going to learn more about where our food comes from. What I didn't expect was just how many people I would meet along the way who play a part in that journey - from farmers who care deeply about what they grow, to factory teams who take great pride in the products they make.

“But what makes reaching the finish line really mean something is knowing those 500-plus miles will help provide the equivalent of 175,000 meals through Felix. Meeting the team there and seeing the work they do to get food to families who need it most really brought the journey full circle for me.”

Dr Emma Keller, Head of Sustainability at Nestlé, said:

"The Taste Trail has been about much more than the miles Rob has covered. It's been about the people behind our food – the farmers, factory teams and local communities whose work often goes unseen.

"We're proud that Rob’s Taste Trail challenge will help support the important work Felix does, while bringing people closer to the story behind the food they eat every day in Britain.”

The challenge, created as part of Nestlé UK & Ireland’s Made by Britain campaign, was designed to help people reconnect with the journey of food from farm to fork and the people behind the process.

What Rob learned on The Taste Trail

After more than 500 miles on the road across 14 days, Rob came away with three lasting impressions:

1. Behind every everyday product is an extraordinary number of people

Rob said: “What’s really hit me on this journey is just how many people are behind the things we chuck in our baskets every week without thinking twice. From the farmers supplying the milk to generations of families working side-by-side in the factories. You stop seeing a bar of chocolate or a jar of coffee on the supermarket shelf and start seeing all the people who helped get it there.”

2. There's pride behind the products we know and love

Rob continued: “During my 14 days on the Taste Trail , I’ve met people who know their craft inside out and who genuinely care about getting things right. Seeing that first-hand has made me appreciate that there’s a huge amount of knowledge and experience behind the things we often take for granted.”

3. Food connects us all

Finally, “The biggest lesson for me is that food is so much more than fuel. Yes, it’s got me over the Pennines and kept me going when the legs weren’t playing ball, but it also connects farmers, factory teams, families and whole communities.

“And seeing the work being done with Felix, the UK’s largest redistribution charity, and the devotion to what they do, really brings home why this journey matters. Ultimately, it’s about helping make sure good food gets to people who need it.”, Rob concluded.

Rob's journey has been documented in a series of mini-episodes and daily diaries on the road, following his visits to the farms, factories and communities. The final episode and full journey are available via @nestleuki.

Search ‘Nestlé The Taste Trail’ on YouTube to see Rob's journey.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

For all media enquiries, contact nestle@citypress.co.uk

About Nestlé

Nestlé is the world’s largest food and beverage company. With more than 2,000 brands ranging from global icons to local favourites, we are present in 191 countries around the world.

Follow our UK and Ireland team www.nestle.co.uk

Follow us on Twitter @NestleUKI

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