BeeApp, the app for recovering and distributing surplus food

BEE APP FOOD BANK ROME –

Fighting food waste and, at the same time, helping those who need it most, through technology: this is the objective pursued by theRome Food Bank Association through the application BeeApp, a tool capable of promoting direct interaction between food distribution outlets and solidarity and charitable organizations, to recover surplus food products, otherwise destined for disposal.

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ROME FOOD BANK ASSOCIATION –

THERome Food Bank Association brings together the volunteers Eager to engage in activities to support people in need in the city of Rome and the Lazio Region. Since 1990, it has collaborated with industry and large-scale retail outlets to prevent the waste of food products no longer marketable due to their expiration date, damaged, or incorrect packaging, and to provide support to those in need. It is listed in the Register of Organizations Recognized by AGEA (Agency for Agricultural Payments), from which it receives—in accordance with EU Regulation 223/2014—food products that it then distributes to 400 Local Charitable Organizations serving nearly 150.000 people in need.

In 2015, the Association received 1.973 tons of products from AGEA, representing approximately 66 percent of the total food distributed that year to its network of charitable organizations. Among the association's other activities is the "Solidarity Food Drive," an initiative held annually between February and March, involving approximately 430 supermarkets in Rome and the Lazio region. On February 28, 2015, the last edition, approximately 2.500 volunteers collected 322 tons of food, which was then directly used by the organizations.

HOW BEE APP WORKS –

BeeApp was created in 2015 with the contribution of the Telecom Foundation and It allows managers of supermarkets, shops and food distributors in general to report excess perishable foods in their commercial establishmentsThe app is easy to use and triggers a virtuous cycle that efficiently coordinates different organizations. At the end of the day, the retailer sends an email containing information on the surplus products. An algorithm then selects charities based on their proximity to the store that sent the notification and the type of food to be distributed. The distribution process then proceeds based on the top results on the list, which are notified via smartphone, and the goods are collected.

POTENTIAL AND USE –

Numerous supermarkets have already joined the network during the pilot phase. The goal is to extend the application's use to the stores of the chains already involved in the project and increase the number of participating chains. Another potential solution is to make the app accessible to individual citizens, thus enabling food donations and strengthening community ties. solidarity and spreading an anti-waste culture through a quick and practical solution. This goal is increasingly closer, thanks in part to the annual solidarity collections organized by the Banco, which have consolidated a strong empathy and willingness to donate among supermarket customers over time.

The project is competing for the 2016 edition of the Non Sprecare Award. To learn more about the competition and participate, go to here!

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