Hitos

REDONA visits Casa Caridad and consolidates a strategic alliance in the fight against food waste

As part of the València 2030 Climate Mission, the REDONA project — funded by the City Council of València — paid an institutional visit to Casa Caridad to learn more about its food management model and formalize a key collaboration to support the project’s development. The visit brought together representatives from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), Mercavalència and Casa Caridad, who toured the facilities located on Paseo de la Pechina. During the visit, they observed how Casa Caridad receives, classifies, and distributes food donations from supermarkets and other contributors, ensuring quality and adaptation to users’ specific needs. Casa Caridad features robust infrastructure, including a donation reception area, specialized refrigeration chambers, a centralized kitchen preparing daily menus, and a tailored food distribution system for each family unit. This comprehensive food recovery model is a benchmark in the city of València and has been recognized as an essential foundation for collaboration with REDONA. The meeting concluded with the establishment of a cooperation agreement between REDONA and Casa Caridad, enabling the effective redirection of fresh produce recovered at Mercavalència to an organization with extensive experience in supporting people in vulnerable situations. This partnership marks a decisive step forward for the project, combining technical, logistical, and human resources to reduce food waste and promote a more circular and socially responsible economy.

REDONA launches first donation trials at Mercavalència and strengthens its progress

The REDONA project, promoted by the Universitat Politècnica de València with the aim of reducing food waste at Mercavalència, has started its first pilot tests of food donations this week. This phase marks an important milestone in the implementation of a system that will allow surplus food to be redistributed to social entities efficiently, safely, and in a coordinated manner. During these initial trials, the logistics circuit, product traceability, and handling protocols are being validated, ensuring that the entire process complies with the recently approved regulations on food waste. REDONA thus continues its path steadily, reinforcing the commitment of Mercavalència and its wholesale operators to a more sustainable and supportive model. The project involves active collaboration with  Casa Caridad, a prominent social organization in València, Mercavalència operators such as Frutas Rovi, and Mercavalència itself. It is currently in a full phase of technical evaluation and operational adjustment. In the coming weeks, the trials are expected to be extended to new operators and the first donations carried out, with the goal of establishing a permanent surplus food donation system that can be replicated in other wholesale markets.

The new Food Waste Law strengthens the value of projects like REDONA

The Official State Gazette (BOE) has published Law 1/2025, on the prevention of food loss and waste—a pioneering regulation in Spain that requires all stakeholders in the food chain to implement specific prevention plans and prioritize the donation of surpluses for human consumption. The new law establishes a hierarchy of food use for unsold items, encouraging their redistribution for social purposes, transformation into other products, or, as a last resort, their use for animal feed or composting. This legislative step aims to align the agri-food system with the principles of circular economy and social justice. In this context, the REDONA project, led by the Universitat Politècnica de València, stands out as a forward-thinking initiative. REDONA is already operational in Mercavalència, redirecting food surpluses to social organizations such as Casa Caridad, thereby preventing waste and ensuring that nutritious food reaches people in vulnerable situations. The implementation of REDONA not only complies with the new law’s requirements, but also reinforces the role of universities and innovation ecosystems as drivers of social change. Its local impact in València proves that it is possible to design replicable solutions that integrate sustainability, justice, and collaboration between the public and social sectors.

REDONA is officially presented as a model of innovation and sustainability against food waste

On March 26, the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) hosted the event “REDONA: Innovation and sustainability against food waste,” held in memory of Gloria Bigné, a key figure in promoting fairer and more sustainable food systems through the Tierra Ciudadana Chair. During the session, the REDONA project was officially introduced to the public. This food donation platform is already operating in Mercavalència, connecting surplus products from the agri-food chain with social entities such as Casa Caridad, giving a second life to goods discarded for commercial reasons but still suitable for consumption. The event, held at the Faculty of Business Administration and Management, was opened by Professor Norat Roig, principal investigator of the REDONA project. The opening included a presentation by Débora Domingo, Vice-Rector for Sustainable Campus Development, focused on circular economy initiatives at the university. One of the most emotional moments was the tribute to Gloria Bigné, a key advocate of ecological transition and coordinator for over a decade of the Tierra Ciudadana Chair, led by Professor José María García Álvarez-Coque. The day continued with a roundtable titled “Innovative solutions against food waste in the Mercas: The REDONA case in Mercavalència”, moderated by Norat Roig and featuring Francesc J. Cervera (UPV), Ángeles Hernández (Mercavalència), Guadalupe Ferrer (Casa Caridad), and Lidia García (València Innovation Capital). The panel discussed project progress, highlighting REDONA’s positive impact in the city and its potential to expand to other areas of the local food system. The event concluded with a space for dialogue and reflection among participating organizations, reaffirming a shared commitment to reducing food waste, urban sustainability, and social cohesion in València. REDONA is thus established as a strategic project for València, aligned with the city’s climate goals and carrying a strong social dimension, replicable in other territories seeking to reduce food waste through innovation and public-social collaboration.

REDONA presented at the ACIGAS Congress as an example of innovation against food waste

REDONA was presented on March 25 during the 7th edition of the ACIGAS Congress, held at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Gastronomic Sciences of the University of Valencia. The REDONA presentation was part of the congress program, organized by students of the Gastronomic Sciences degree, which brings together experts, students, and professionals from the gastronomic sector every year to reflect on the main challenges in food, sustainability, and health. During the presentation, REDONA was highlighted as a project that aims to provide viable and sustainable solutions to one of the major challenges in the agri-food chain: food waste. Foods that do not progress through the stages of the food supply chain –due to commercial reasons rather than quality issues– represent a real opportunity to be recovered and donated, helping to fight food insecurity and promote social and environmental justice. REDONA aligns with the new national legislative framework, which requires companies and organizations to take active measures to reduce food waste. In this context, the project stands not only as an innovative response but also as a replicable model in other regions committed to sustainability.

REDONA stands out at the XVII Setmana de l’Economia d’Alzira as a benchmark in the fight against food waste

On February 17, 2025, the REDONA project took part in the round table titled “The value of surplus: strategies against food waste”, held at the Casa de la Cultura in Alzira as part of the XVII Setmana de l’Economia, organized by IDEA Alzira. The event brought together experts from academia and the agri-food sector to discuss innovative solutions to reduce food waste. During the session, Francesc J. Cervera Ferrer, representing the Universitat Politècnica de València, presented REDONA as a pioneering technological tool that facilitates the recovery and redistribution of discarded fruits and vegetables at Mercavalència. His presentation addressed the causes of food waste in the fruit and vegetable market, the legal framework, the social and environmental benefits of the project, and the challenges and opportunities for its future expansion. The round table also featured contributions from M.ª Ángeles Fernández Zamudio (UPV) and Cirilo Arnandis (Cooperatives Agroalimentàries of the Valencian Community), and was moderated by journalist Lluch García Garay. The event highlighted the importance of initiatives like REDONA in building more sustainable and resilient food systems.

REDONA presents its project to AMAFRUVA with a view to future collaborations

On January 29, 2025, a meeting took place at Mercavalència between representatives of the REDONA project and the Association of Fruit and Vegetable Wholesalers (AMAFRUVA), with the aim of presenting the initiative and exploring potential avenues for collaboration. During the meeting, the team from the Universitat Politècnica de València outlined the benefits of REDONA for market operators, its alignment with current legal frameworks, the functionality of the technological tool, and the implementation timeline, which includes a pilot project. The role AMAFRUVA could play in disseminating the project among its members was highlighted, along with its possible involvement in training activities and the upcoming public presentation event at Mercavalència. Both parties exchanged views on potential synergies between REDONA and other ongoing initiatives, especially in the field of circular economy. The session helped strengthen mutual understanding and laid the groundwork for potential future cooperation in addressing food waste in the wholesale sector.

| REDONA Recovery of fruits and vegetables in Mercavalència UPV

REDONA Project, to avoid food waste in Mercavalència, on the SER radio station.

Norat Roig, Principal Researcher of the REDONA Project at the Universitat Politècnica de València has detailed what this initiative consists of, which basically aims to ensure that the food that arrives at Mercavalència from wholesalers does not also end up in the rubbish bin. ‘It is in the wholesaler-retailer transaction where this waste is produced that we want to act on because to date nothing has been done,’ he explained. Thus, when it is finally operational, these technologies will allow wholesalers’ surpluses to be used by NGOs and other organisations, which will be able to get hold of all this food so that it can reach vulnerable families in the city of Valencia. You can listen to the interview at: Hoy por Hoy Valencia 26/09/2024- Tramo de 12:20 a 13:00) | Cadena SER

REDONA strengthens its roadmap with València Innovation Capital and the City Council of València

The REDONA project, funded under the València 2030 Climate Mission, held a key coordination meeting at the Universitat Politècnica de València with representatives from València Innovation Capital and the City Council of València. During the session, the technical and financial progress of the project was reviewed, outlining achievements and adjusting the strategy in light of various limiting factors. The next steps were also defined, including presentation events, training actions, pilot donations, and the scaling up of the system. REDONA thus continues to make solid progress toward a technological solution that is both efficient and socially just for the redistribution of food surplus in Mercavalència.

REDONA presents its technological tool to channel surplus food at Mercavalència

As part of the REDONA project, an initiative funded under the València 2030 Climate Mission, a dissemination and awareness-raising session was held at the Universitat Politècnica de València to introduce this innovative tool. REDONA’s main goal is to recover discarded fruits and vegetables at Mercavalència for redistribution with social purposes, through a technological solution that enables efficient management of surplus food. During the event, which included participation from representatives of UPV and Naria, the platform’s functionality and its benefits in the fight against food waste — as well as in promoting social and environmental justice in urban food systems — were presented.

Ir a la APP
Privacy preferences center
Logo de REDONA Recuperación de frutas y verduras en Mercavalència UPV

When you visit any website, it may obtain or save information in your browser, generally through the use of cookies. This information may be about you, your preferences, or your device, and is mainly used to make the site work as expected. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.

More information

Technical cookies

These are those that allow the user to navigate through a website, platform or application and the use of the different options or services that exist therein, such as, for example, controlling traffic and data communication, identifying the session, accessing restricted access parts, remembering the elements that make up an order, carrying out the purchase process of an order, making the request for registration or participation in an event, using security elements during navigation, storing content for the dissemination of videos or sound or sharing content through social networks.

Analysis or measurement cookies

These are those that allow the person responsible for them to monitor and analyze the behavior of the users of the websites to which they are linked. The information collected through this type of cookies is used to measure the activity of the websites, application or platform and to create navigation profiles of the users of said sites, applications and platforms, in order to introduce improvements based on the analysis of the data on the use made by the users of the service.