France

2022

Founded in 2015, BIOCYCLE is a French association that fights against food waste and food insecurity, by collecting unsold food from various players (markets, shops, collective catering) and then redistributing it to partner associations.

The association also runs awareness-raising campaigns on good eating habits in schools in the Paris region (Ivry, Kremlin-Bicêtre, Vitry-sur-Seine, Paris centre/13th/14th and Seine-Saint-Denis).
In response to numerous requests from citizens, parents and canteen staff, the town of Ivry asked Biocycle to take part in a pioneering Anti-Waste & Solidarity awareness campaign in the town’s schools. At the same time, Biocycle’s partner associations in Ivry identified a need to collect around 120 kg of food per week.

The Foundation’s support in 2022 aim to make possible to promote initiatives to combat food waste and food insecurity in 13 canteens in Ivry, in the Ile-de-France region.

What are the expected results of the project?

• Collection of uneaten cooked meals from the 13 targeted canteens in Ivry (around 20 collections will be organised each week),
• Redistribution of the collected food to local charities (the aim is to distribute 200 to 400 meals free of charge per collection and per day to the charities’ beneficiaries),
• Acquisition of a three-wheeled bicycle by the association, to ensure the smooth running of food collections and redistributions,
• Raising awareness among pupils in the targeted canteens of the need to reduce waste in their daily lives, both at school and at home, and of the need for solidarity (organisation of educational workshops, recovery and distribution of products not consumed in the canteen).

In all, 3,400 schoolchildren will be taught by the Biocycle association about good anti-waste practices and food and solidarity redistribution.

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