REDONA Milestones related to Donation

REDONA strengthens its operations in real-world settings: another successful donation completed

NGO València City Council

The REDONA project continues to move forward steadily toward its consolidation as an effective tool for food recovery at Mercavalència. This week, a new donation was successfully registered and completed: 300 kg of food donated by Frutas Rovi to Casa Caridad. This action demonstrates that donations are now being carried out in real environments, beyond pilot phases. Thanks to the use of traceability technologies and the ability to exchange documentation, the process ensures a transparent, reliable, efficient, and fast operation. In addition to fulfilling its social and environmental mission, REDONA continues to fine-tune procedures at every stage. Data validation, agent interoperability, and digital traceability allow for ongoing improvement, preparing the system for scaling and broader adoption. With this type of initiative, REDONA not only facilitates the safe donation of food surpluses but also helps reduce waste, strengthen social solidarity, and promote the circular economy within the agri-food sector. We keep recovering, we keep improving!

REDONA is presented to the wholesale sector at Mercavalència as a response to the new food waste law

Media Outreach València City Council

Mercavalència hosted an information session on the REDONA project, aimed at helping the wholesale sector comply with the new Law on the Prevention of Food Loss and Waste, while promoting sustainable and economically viable practices. The event was held in collaboration with the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), representatives from Mercavalència, and the social organization Casa Caridad. During the session, the contents of the new legislation were discussed, highlighting how REDONA can support compliance in a simple way, without interfering with companies’ daily operations. Special emphasis was placed on the tax benefits and cost savings associated with donating surplus food, compared to the economic losses caused by discarding still-edible products. Casa Caridad, the organization receiving the donated food, emphasized that it has the necessary infrastructure to absorb these surpluses and put them to immediate social use. The difference between surplus and waste was also clarified, stressing the importance of not donating food that is no longer suitable for consumption. REDONA proposes an operational protocol adapted to the pace of the wholesale market: product listings should be made before 7:00 a.m., and donations can be delivered between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. This planning allows vendors to anticipate product deterioration by using their experience to identify what will not be sold in time. The organizers reminded attendees that the documentation required for donating is simple and very similar to what is already used with regular clients. In addition, the project is designed to accommodate specific situations, offering personalized support to each business. REDONA stands as a model of effective collaboration between universities, public administration, businesses, and social organizations to address the challenge of food waste from an innovative, pragmatic, and climate-responsible perspective.

València celebrates the first donation of the REDONA project to combat food waste

NGO Sustainable Development Goals València City Council

The REDONA project, a pioneering initiative to reduce food waste in Mercavalència, has made its first official donation: 100 kg of potatoes delivered by Frutas Rovi to Casa Caridad. This milestone marks the beginning of a strategic collaboration between wholesalers and social organizations to redirect surplus food to those who need it most. This trial also helped consolidate the process of posting, accepting, and collecting products, establishing the basic procedure for how this organizational innovation will operate in the fruit and vegetable market. Key process elements were refined, such as the need for immediate publication and collection, with stricter schedules to ensure freshness and food use. The success of this first donation demonstrates REDONA’s potential to transform surplus food management in València, fostering a healthier, more sustainable, and more caring city.

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

NGO Sustainable Development Goals València City Council

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

Sustainable Development Goals València City Council

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.

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

Media Outreach València City Council

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

Media Outreach

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 advances in the development of its app to channel surplus food from Mercavalència

Naria

The REDONA project, an initiative funded under the València 2030 Climate Mission, continues to make solid progress in the development of its technological application. In a recent coordination meeting between the Universitat Politècnica de València and Naria, the preliminary version of the digital tool was presented. This app will allow for the registration of food surplus donations, management of deliveries, and centralization of associated documentation. The technological solution aims to facilitate the recovery of discarded fruits and vegetables at Mercavalència, promote their redistribution for social purposes, and strengthen the resilience of urban food systems in the face of food waste.

Casa Caridad joins the REDONA project to promote more efficient and sustainable food management

The Valencian Charity Association, known as Casa Caridad, has decided to actively participate in the REDONA innovation project, which is subsidized under the framework of the Valencia 2030 Climate Mission. This collaboration aims to optimize the management of food donations and strengthen sustainability in the distribution of resources to people in vulnerable situations. In a meeting held on June 25, 2024, at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), representatives from Casa Caridad and the REDONA team discussed the project’s benefits and requirements. During the meeting, it was highlighted how the tool proposed by REDONA could improve the operational capacity of NGOs in managing donations, allowing for a more efficient and timely selection of the products received. Guadalupe Ferrer, managing director of Casa Caridad, expressed her interest in the initiative, noting that being able to choose the timing of product reception would facilitate distribution among the people they serve. Casa Caridad, founded in 1906, has been a key pillar in providing care to homeless individuals and those at risk of social exclusion in Valencia. The organization offers a wide range of services, including soup kitchens, shelters, nursery schools, and social integration programs. Participation in the REDONA project reinforces Casa Caridad’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, aligning with the goals of the Valencia 2030 Climate Mission. This collaboration will enable the organization to enhance resource management efficiency and continue providing essential support to the most vulnerable people in the Valencian Community.