A start-up decides to tackle food waste in Brussels

We are all struck by a paradox. This paradox can be visible in Brussels (and in other places): on the one hand, too much food is thrown away in the supermarkets because the expiration date has been (nearly) reached. On the other hand, many people can not afford to regularly buy fresh food.

A man named Ludovic Libert has taken the initiative to change this. At the end of his studies (Solvay and Vlerick Business School) he co-created with Aurélien Marino the start-up “Happy Hours Market”.

With this distribution network, he will provide healthy food while substantially lowering the cost by giving access to unsold products at a reduced price via four steps.

1. He convinced supermarkets to give him food that can no longer be sold the following day(s) because it has reached its expiration date, saving the supermarkets costs of managing their food waste.

2. He will pick up the products after 18.00 in the partner supermarkets.

3. Between 20.00-22.00, these products will go on sale at a reduced price (usually 50% of the initial one), and interested people will pick up their order at a food truck parked in an easily accessible place.

4. Products that have remained unsold via this channel will be donated to charities that are not yet in contact with the supermarkets concerned.

This coming week the project will run a trial period:

– Monday 6/08 and Tuesday 07/08 (Avenue Paul Héger, 1050 Brussels in the center of the ULB campus),
– Wednesday 8/08, Thursday 9/08 and Friday 10/08 (Bolivar Square, opposite Gare du Nord).

During this period, one will need to go directly to the food truck to order and pick up the

food.

The project will officially start in the autumn.

Good to know:

www.happyhours.be.