It is a “Dream” come true for the morning food market in Brussels. Since last September, Dream (Distribution et Recuperation d’Excedents alimentaires a Mabru) which stands for the distribution of excess food at the Mabru market in Brussels, is working to distribute over one tonne of fruit and vegetables which would otherwise go to waste. The food is delivered to associations in need.
It’s an initiative that we at Food and Wine Gazette would like to highlight because it shows how creative solutions can be found to combat the problem of food waste.
RTFB reported today that every morning at 6am, the partners of the Dream project Mabru and the CPAS, the Social Services association in the Brussels region, collect over a tonne of fresh unsold fruits and vegetables. These are sorted, repackaged and then made available to associations in need through a technological platform. The associations place their orders and the packages are distributed to these associations which help to feed those in need.
According to the Federation of Social Services in Brussels, around 55,000 people have already benefited from this initiative. Demand is expected to rise in future.
Currently there are around 20 merchants who have decided to donate the unsold food. According to Pascale Peraita, the president of the CPAS, it is a win win situation because merchants prefer to offer the unsold food rather than spend money to throw it away. The CPAS is working with 25 beneficiary associations.
The project is shortly expected to also include meat, fish as well as cheese once they have put measures in place to be able to follow strict hygiene requirements.
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