Ortomercato (Recovery of Food and Vegetables)

In order to provide the people in need with a proper diet integrated with fresh products such as fruit and vegetables, since May 2012, Banco Alimentare has opened an operational center within the Ortomercato of Milan (Fruit and Vegetable Gross Market of Milano). In this very large area over 150 stands of wholesalers operate from midnight to 11 am. At the end of the exchange time, many operators find generously the time and energy to set aside the surplus goods to donate it to volunteers of Banco Alimentare, who select the recovered products on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. What is recovered is everything that was not sold during the night and morning selling time. What collected changes and daily basis according to the season and the market demand, low demand causes high left over and higher donation. Everything is always in excellent quality condition as the product are donated immediately after the end of the selling day. Fruits and vegetables are transported immediately to the central warehouse of Banco Alimentare where they are delivered to charity facilities on the same day of withdrawal or the next morning. The numbers of the programs: in 2017: 426 tons of fresh fruit and vegetable have been collected and ri-distributed to people in need instead of going to the landfill