TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Laisves TV presenter Andrius Tapinas took to Facebook to share his experience of distributing Taiwan I-Mei Foods’ donation of 3,735 boxes of its signature I-Mei Puffs on Tuesday (Jan. 4).
“In the middle of summer, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mantas Adomenas called to say, ‘I have a huge gift to Lithuania from Taiwanese food company I-Mei Foods Co. Ltd. Perhaps you have an idea whom to give these to and could help out?’” wrote Tapinas.
“I remember that during the first wave of the pandemic, when we brought medical equipment to nursing homes for the elderly, along with sweets and delicacies … the sweets turned out to be more popular than masks or respirators for the elderly.”
Tapinas said it was because the sweets symbolized care that he told Adomenas he would distribute I-Mei’s donation among nursing homes and charities. This was also the reason that Laisves TV would help make the arrangements.
After a long and complex process of facilitating customs, storage, and labeling, Laisves TV was able to distribute the snacks to 156 locations in December, with the help of its business partners. This helped bring warmth to the underprivileged in Lithuania for Christmas.
According to I-Mei Foods, as the company had not previously sold or sent anything to Lithuania, it had to create an entirely new shipment route to deliver the donation.
“Our huge thanks and best wishes go to I-Mei Foods who made Christmas better for a lot of people,” Tapinas wrote at the end of his post.
Charities that received the I-Mei Puffs shared their joy and thanks on social media, posting photos of the product and its custom-made packaging reading, “Thanks, Lithuania!”
According to a photo posted by Jolanta Smaidziunaite Leonaviciene, each large box contained a dozen small boxes of Puffs, which come in chocolate, milk, and strawberry flavors.
Families pose with I-Mei Puffs at the Lazdijai Social Services Center. (Facebook, Lazdijai Social Services Center photo)
The Lithuanian Red Cross hands out I-Mei Puffs to immigrants. (Facebook, Lithuanian Red Cross photo)
* I-Mei Foods is the parent company of Taiwan News
