Este proyecto busca reaprovechar alimentos que serían descartados para ser utilizados como alimentación animal, ayudando así a reducir costes para los ganaderos y fomentando un modelo de economía circular más sostenible.

Flocks for food waste

Herds Project for Food Waste: Food Utilization for Animal Feed

At es im-perfect®, in collaboration with the Espigoladors Foundation, we are developing an innovative project to help reduce food waste in Catalonia. This project aims to repurpose food that would otherwise be discarded as animal feed, thus helping to reduce costs for farmers and promoting a more sustainable circular economy model.

Project Objectives

The project aims to study the feasibility of using wasted food, especially fruits and vegetables, as a feed source for livestock in the peri-urban area of ​​Barcelona. The goal is to offer a solution to the dual problem of food waste and the rising price of animal feed, which increased by 40% between 2021 and 2022.

Expected benefits include:

  • Reducing food waste by keeping food within the food chain.

  • Support for livestock farmers by offering food at more competitive prices.

  • Creation of a meat product brand that reflects the benefits of sustainability and food reuse.

Expected Impact

This initiative has a positive impact on environmental and economic sustainability, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the promotion of more efficient agriculture and livestock farming. Furthermore, it could establish a new collaborative ecosystem between different sectors, generating long-term synergies.

Composition of the Project Working Group

The operational group leading this project is made up of different entities working together to ensure its success:

im-perfect® is a food processing and employment integration company run by the Espigoladors Foundation. They produce vegetable pâtés, jams, and sauces using locally sourced fruits and vegetables that are typically discarded by the commercial market. The workshop serves as a space for social and professional integration for people at risk of social exclusion.
EI ES IM-PERFECT FOOD SL adds value to these products through its brand, which also serves to further amplify the message of the fight against food waste.
Therefore, EI ES IM-PERFECT FOOD SL has experience in proposing systemic solutions like the one this project aims to be, where it is necessary to coordinate different stakeholders to create synergies that help find solutions that are as comprehensive as possible. At the same time, due to its core business, it has a long track record of adding value to products that initially had no place in the market and giving them a brand with this dual added value: waste reduction and the dissemination of this message.

Fundació Espigoladors: a non-profit foundation that works to promote food utilization and the right to food through gleaning and the recovery of surplus food, as well as the design and implementation of innovation, research, and agri-food symbiosis projects. It has experience in research on food loss and waste, studying both the quantity and causes at different stages of the food chain and seeking solutions.

Mercabarna: Mercabarna is the main wholesale market for fresh food in Southern Europe. Foodback is Mercabarna's food recovery center, with the mission of maximizing the recovery of surplus food generated within the Food Unit. In this project, it can contribute its knowledge of the types and composition of food waste generated at its facilities, as well as its direct access to this food.

Associació Rurbans (Escola de Pastors i Pastores de Catalunya): Associació Rurbans is an organization that works to ensure the generational renewal of extensive livestock farming by incorporating new stakeholders into the primary sector with an agroecological approach. In this project, their knowledge of agroecological livestock farming practices is key to exploring the potential of food waste in animal feed.

The Guild of Butchers, Delicatessen Owners, and Poultry of Barcelona and Province: This non-profit business organization defends and represents the interests of companies in the Barcelona region specializing in the retail sale of meat and the artisanal production of meat products and prepared foods. In this project, the guild can contribute its expertise in meat production to advise on the most suitable products based on the selected species.

Funding and Support

This project has been made possible thanks to the support co-financed by the European Union through intervention 7161 of the CAP Strategic Plan (PEPAC) 2023-2027 and the collaboration with various local entities.

                   

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