Associations in Lyon providing services for businesses
Are you an event organiser, hotel or restaurant looking to give a second life to your unsold products? Engaged and passionate organisations are here to help. Here is an overview of existing initiatives to reduce food waste.
Le Chaînon Manquant
Le Chaînon Manquant is an association that reuses unsold food by giving it to charity organisations. On request from Lyon’s food professionals, the association collects their fresh food surplus. The team organises rounds to pick up food in a refrigerated lorry and immediately redistributes it to partner organisations. It retrieves products with very short use by dates. The collection rounds are carried out regularly or on request, particularly for event organisers and restaurants. Read the dedicated article to find out more about Chaînon Manquant.
Les Petites Cantines
Les Petites Cantines is a non-profit network of local canteens, where guests get together for sustainable, participative meals, on a pay what you want basis. Their motto is ‘Welcome, Meet and Share!’ The association collects unprocessed food (fresh or otherwise) from markets and restaurants. They are then cooked in a participative manner and served throughout the network. There are already canteens in three of Lyon’s districts (Lyon 2, Lyon 3, Lyon 5, Lyon 9), which will be delighted to cook your ingredients and share them in a welcoming atmosphere. To find out more about their approach, visit the website.
Récup & Gamelles
Created in 2014 by three engaged founders, the association Récup & Gamelles can help you reduce waste with its ‘Zéro Déchet’ initiatives. Each week, the team of volunteers hunts down unsold food, particularly raw ingredients, at markets, shops and restaurants, in order to give them a second life. Inspired by the circular economy, the association sorts and uses unsold food through its various anti-waste awareness-raising activities, such as the preparation of preserves with its Conserverie Solidaire, as well as fun workshops and events. Are you interested in Récup & Gamelles’ work? Visit their website.
Too Good To Go
The app Too Good To Go has already saved 26.1 million meals from the bin! Launched in 2017, it enables you to reuse your unsold food and reduce your environmental footprint. With this easy-to-use app, you can sell your unsold products at discount prices and make sure your food, whether raw or processed, gets a chance to be eaten. You don’t need to worry about deliveries, as users of the app come to pick up the baskets directly on your premises! This also gives you a chance to introduce your food to potential customers who may never have visited otherwise! Want to find out more about the app? Discover the website!
For further reading, see the guides produced by the Umih (French Union of Professions and Industries in the Hotel Business) to “defeat waste” in restaurants and hôtels.
