A solidarity-based offer of recycled fruit and vegetables

From its inception in 2014, Episol has sought to adapt food distribution arrangements for precarious workers. Born of a meeting between Secours Catholique, the Diaconat Protestant and Grenoble's Centre Communal d'Action sociale (CCAS), the association created a solidarity grocery store to give everyone access to quality food products, at prices modulated according to family financial capacity and in an appropriate setting. It has extended this initial offer to include a mobile distribution channel: an itinerant vehicle that travels to various locations in Grenoble and the surrounding area. It has also created solidarity baskets, distributed on a weekly basis.

Episol's aim is not only to provide access to a diversified range of foodstuffs for an underprivileged population, but also to combat food waste. How do we do this? By organizing the collection and recycling of unsold food from supermarkets and local authorities. These products are then sorted and resold at very low prices to its customers or to other organizations working to combat food insecurity.

The association is accelerating this program in conjunction with Grenoble's Marché d'Intérêt National (MIN). Twice a week, a team of around twenty volunteers goes on site to collect several hundred kilos of fruit and vegetables, which are then sorted and recycled. This new development, supported by the Veolia Foundation, involves the structuring of logistics, hygiene procedures and administrative management specific to fresh produce, as well as the implementation of a system for reclassifying products into three categories, according to their level of quality. Episol is also investing in basement storage space at the MIN, by refurbishing a cold room.

By being able to diversify and improve its supply of quality products, the association is jointly combating precariousness and food waste.