Topic 4 Innovative products and services
- Phénix, a social enterprise based in Europe, collects unsold food and diverts it from waste to other places/uses such as charities, animal feed or recycling. In 2017, the enterprise has notably worked with the festival Rock en Seine on food waste prevention.
- Too Good to Go: Through an app, groceries stores and bakeries can find a new way to sell their leftovers: the surprise boxes ! Creating visibility for the stores, these boxes also give access for the consumer to products that are Too Good to Go for a reduced price, a win-win situation.
- For the Zero Waste Festival, each participant had a meal included in the price of their ticket and were asked to choose their dish upon arrival. For last minute participants, extra uncooked food which could be easily stored (such as raw fruits, vegetables and nuts) was also available.
- Meal Canteen is a start-up which provides a solution to restaurant order forecast. With their mobile app, customer can preorder their meals in the restaurant of their choice. As a result: no more surplus order, stock optimization, and less waiting line for the end consumer!
- The brand Gourmet Bag is an incentive launched by the French government in order to invite customers to bring back leftover food from restaurants. Common practice in the United States under the name “doggy bag”, this French denomination aims to be the gourmet way of reducing food waste in restaurants.
- During Makesense events, Disco soup, social cooking of supermarket surplus that would have been thrown away, are organized to feed volunteers and participants. It’s a fun and practical way to raise awareness, and there’s a free buffet.
- Karma is a Swedish startup founded in Stockholm in November 2016. Their app connects surplus food from restaurants, cafes and grocery stores to consumers for a lower price. As a result, users eat great food for less and businesses receive an additional revenue stream —all while reducing food waste.
- Funghi Espresso uses coffee residues (used together with the coffee silver skin) from Tuscany bars to produce mushrooms and an organic fertile substrate for agriculture, and as a secondary product, earthworms for fishfarming. Coffee grounds collection and deliveries are made by bike. Waste is recycled and healthy organic food is produced, while encouraging the local economy and creating meaningful jobs for low-skilled people.
Good to know
The Horizon 2020 REFRESH project partnered with the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste in order to establish the REFRESH Community of Experts (CoE), a website open to all relevant stakeholders who wish to share their experiences in food waste prevention. The Community of Experts is a virtual resource center which allows users to easily find and share information about food loss and waste prevention and reduction initiatives across the EU.
