Chef Express, Hera and Last Minute Market together for the recovery of food surpluses

Reducing food waste and supporting local communities: this is the goal of the project promoted by Chef Express of the Cremonini Group, in collaboration with the Hera Group and Last Minute Market, a spin-off of the University of Bologna.

The initiative involves the recovery of uneaten surplus food in Chef Express refreshment points – located in railway stations, airports and motorway service areas – to allocate them to solidarity organizations committed to supporting people in need.

The experimentation started between Modena and Bologna and involved four premises, including the Bologna HS station and the Pioppa Est service area on the A14 motorway. During 2025, more than 14 thousand portions of food were recovered, avoiding more than 2 tons of food waste.

Thanks to the results obtained, the project has been extended to 12 refreshment points in different Italian regions, also involving airports such as Rome Fiumicino Airport and Catania Fontanarossa Airport.

The recovery of surplus food is part of the broader collaboration between Chef Express and the Hera Group to develop circular economy solutions, transforming waste into a useful resource for the environment and the community.