For their second edition, the Food Waste Awards took place on Tuesday 20th March evening in the building Herman Teirlinck in Brussels. These prices rewarded the best ideas to reduce food waste in different categories: health care, food companies, food waste changemakers, local governments and horeca, catering and events. Here’s an overview of the winners:

As the most remarkable food company, Delhaize De Leeuw won with their commitment to redistribute unsold products to local associations. In 2017, they saved 2,635 tons of food from the waste mountain.

Opschepper, the best food waste changemaker, is an initiative from students of the University of Antwerp. With their boxes of food made out of food surpluses, they bring students and people over 65, usually lonely eaters, together for a cozy and ecologically responsible meal.

Ikea Food Belgium was awarded the best caterer. In a year, Ikea reduced their food loss by 41% in Belgium, which is equivalent to 99 tons of food and 427 tons of CO2. For the health care category, the residential care center Sint-Elisabeth was the chosen winner. Through measurements and choice menus for their residents, they have reduced the daily food loss by an average of 10%.

Foodsavers Gent got the price for local governments with a distribution platform for food surpluses. These are redistributed to financially vulnerable people through numerous Ghent social organizations.

In the end, Bubble & Squeak was elected best European changemaker. Children from Old Oak Primary School in the United Kingdom manage their own stand at the school gate where they redistribute about 40 kilos of food surplus to their parents every week.

During the award ceremony, the live audience could choose out of the winners the Ultimate Food Waste Hero. The European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis was allowed to award this price to the students of Opschepper. With a victory of 51% of the votes, Laurens of Opschepper promised to take things a step further in the future.

For more information:  www.foodwasteawards.be

Photo’s: Lotte Hendrickx