Since 2014, the vocational reintegration workshop called ‘Caddy’ has been fighting food waste in Luxembourg by repurposing food that would otherwise be thrown away. In partnership with a hypermarket, a team of 40 people collects and processes these products daily under the guidance of chefs and educators.

The food is turned into fresh juices and meals, which are given to disadvantaged people through Stëmm vun der Strooss (SVDS) and ten other associations. Beyond reducing waste, the project helps tackle poverty by providing jobs to those struggling to find work.

The post-Covid era, the conflict in Ukraine, and inflation have increased the risk of poverty in Luxembourg. In 2022, SVDS served over 120 000 meals, a 27% increase from 2021, not including meals at their new social restaurant in Ettelbruck. To meet growing demand, the project aims to increase the amount of recycled food.

To achieve this, Caddy moved to new premises in September 2022, with better facilities. This move enhances their ability to process more food, creating more opportunities for further participants to regain work routines, team spirit, and a sense of purpose.

Shirley, who recently started working with SVDS, shares her experience: ‘I wake up in the morning with a smile, as I know I’m going to work to help others. I have been in this situation myself and I know how people feel, so I can understand how happy people are to get help here.’

In the future, the project aims to continue growing, hiring more people in need of vocational reintegration and processing more food to better fight food insecurity.