What we do

Events: In 2012, Nadja Flohr-Spence from the Slow Food Youth Network in Germany came up an idea to raise awareness of food waste that has now become a global phenomenon – the DISCO SOUP. The idea is simple: People come together in a public space to communally prepare a soup from vegetables that would otherwise have gone to waste (simply because of their appearance) to the backdrop of live music and a festive atmosphere. In 2013, the concept went global with events in New York, São Paolo and Seoul, raising awareness of food waste around the world.

Partnership with other organizations: Slow Food works closely with a number of key organizations working on the issue of food waste. In December 2013 for example we partnered up with Feeding the 5000 founded by Tristram Stuart, to organize events across the globe on World Food Day (October 16).

Political consultations: Slow Food actively engages with political consultations on this issue. In 2013 for example, Slow Food responded to an European Commission public consultation on the sustainability of the food system. Despite initially casting the net wide, it seems the Commission has now decided to boil down the question of food sustainability to the issue of food waste. While Slow Food welcomes the intention of the Commission to curb food waste, we still encourage a shift to a holistic approach to food sustainability, as well as to policy making in an EU Common Sustainable Food Policy.