Saving Surplus, Serving People: foodora Hungary’s Fight Against Food Waste

At a glance

• 14 years of ongoing cooperation with the Hungarian Food Bank
• Daily collection of fresh surplus from foodora Markets across 5 local regions
• Integrated donation pathway via virtual charity restaurants
• 900,000 tons of food wasted annually in Hungary
• 200+ tons of food donations delivered over the last five years

Through its long-standing partnerships with local food banks and charities, foodora Hungary is transforming the logistics of food rescue, ensuring that surplus meals reach those who need them most instead of ending up in a landfill.

In Hungary, the scale of food waste is staggering: approximately 900,000 tons of food are discarded every year. To put that in perspective, if this waste were loaded onto trucks, the line would stretch all the way from Budapest to Nuremberg. Recognizing this challenge, foodora has integrated food rescue into its core operations, proving that a delivery platform can serve as a vital link between commercial surplus and community need.

The heart of this initiative lies in the daily operations of foodora Market locations. Every day, teams collect leftover baked goods, fresh vegetables, and fruit that are still perfectly good to eat but can no longer be sold. These items are then delivered to local people in need across five different regions. By leveraging its existing delivery infrastructure, foodora can move these perishables faster than traditional logistics chains.

The collaboration isn’t a new trend; foodora and the Hungarian Food Bank have worked together for 14 years. In the last five years alone, this partnership has facilitated the delivery of more than 200 tons of food donations.

For organizations like the Salvation Army, the partnership provides more than just calories.

"In addition to providing food, we also have the opportunity to connect with families or homeless people who seek us out."

Ibolya Hecker-Réz, Head of Institution at the Salvation Army

This connection allows social workers to understand underlying problems and begin a deeper process of support.

Beyond physical food rescue, foodora uses its digital platform to engage customers directly. Through virtual charity restaurants, users can donate at any time to several different partners. This turns a routine ordering moment into an act of social good, scaling individual contributions into a massive collective impact.

"At foodora, we love to give – both to our customers and to those in need. We see many families struggling to put food on the table while food ends up in the trash. We try to remedy this situation through this cooperation."

Péter Garay, Managing Director, foodora Hungary

By combining 14 years of expertise with real-time digital tools, foodora Hungary is helping to build a more resilient food ecosystem—one where surplus is treated as a resource for the community rather than a burden for the planet.