Foodback, Mercabarna's Food Recovery Centre, receives special mention at the Milan Pact Awards
Two years after its inauguration, Foodback has recovered more than 800 tonnes of surplus fruit and vegetables from Mercabarna wholesalers that have been distributed through the Food Bank.
On 15 October, at the 9th MUFPP Global Forum held in Milan, the Foodback project received special mention from amongst the more than 300 policies presented by 172 cities from 62 different countries, in recognition of the food policies pursued by Barcelona City Council. The Mercabarna Foodback project received a special mention, with the award being collected by Pablo Vilanova, director of Mercabarna.
Foodback is a pioneering circular bioeconomy project that aims to manage food surpluses in wholesale markets in Spain, giving surplus fruit and vegetables a second life. This is a step forward in Mercabarna’s commitment to the fight against food waste and three emergencies: the climate, social and economic emergencies. In fact, it is estimated that the food sector is responsible for releasing one third of greenhouse gases and waste is one of the main factors.
Three years of food recovery
The centre was opened in 2022 with a view to doubling food recovery in five years, from 1,000-1,500 tonnes of products recovered in 2021 to 3,000 tonnes in 2026. Two years later, according to data from 2024, 837 tonnes of fruit and vegetables have been recovered, contributed by 92 Mercabarna wholesalers, which have been distributed via 305 associations in the Food Bank network, reaching 116,077 people in vulnerable situations. What’s more, 8.5 tonnes of food have been used to make 14,196 units of creams, jams and juices that have been distributed via the very same network.
The wholesalers’ surplus fruit and vegetables are collected in a 900 square metre warehouse, where the fruit and vegetables provided by Mercabarna operators are sorted; those that can be given a second life are separated from those that go to the green point as organic matter. The screening process is carried out by people employed via Fundació Formació i Treball, which promotes the employment of people in vulnerable situations. The Food Bank coordinates the facilities and organises the distribution throughout the Barcelona Metropolitan Area.
The Associació d’Empreses Majoristes de Mercabarna (ASSOCOME); Càritas Diocesana de Barcelona; Creu Roja Catalunya; the Alimenta project, promoted by Barcelona City Council; the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Generalitat; the ”la Caixa” Foundation and the 600 Mercabarna companies that provide surplus food are also involved in the project.
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