In Tallinn, the circular economy company FudLoop has expanded its network of smart food sharing pantries, which is unique in the world, with the aim of reducing food waste.

FudLoop develops smart food sharing pantries and is the first company in the world to offer food sharing as a service. In cooperation with the city of Tallinn, they have expanded the network of food sharing pantries in the urban space and created new opportunities for collecting and redistributing food.

According to Deputy Mayor Joosep Vimm, everyone can contribute to reducing food waste. "Every day, both households and shops throw away food fit for human consumption," said Vimm. “We can reduce waste by monitoring our purchases more carefully so that all the food is consumed. Food sharing pantries are also a good way to save food that is fit for consumption. Consuming wisely both saves natural resources and benefits your wallet."

The company started the first pilot project in the spring of 2022, when the food sharing pantry was installed next to the administrative building of Tallinn Central Market at Keldrimäe 9. The food sharing pantry consists of a refrigerator and shelves that maintain the outdoor temperature, where the leftover food can be placed and from which the user of the pantry system can take daily as needed. As part of the cooperation project, similar pantries were installed at the Mustamäe (E. Vilde tee 71) and Lasnamäe (Pallasti 54) districts.

To date, FudLoop has saved over 41 tonnes of food. In a period spanning 14 months, the food sharing pantries have been used by thousands of people. "At a time when food prices are increasing and we are preparing for the green transition, every kilogram of food fit for human consumption that ends up in the bin is a shame for our society, not to mention a financial loss," said FudLoop founder and CEO Tarmo Seliste. “We urgently need new solutions that help reduce the amount of food thrown away."

To use the FudLoop food sharing pantry, you must register as a user on the website fudloop.ee. Using the IT solution developed in cooperation with Valnes and Krakul, registered users can open the pantry and donate or take food from there. As far as we know, there is no food sharing pantry anywhere else in the world that requires user identification. Identification enables an increase in food safety and prevents misuse of the pantry. The monthly fee for using the pantry is 5 euros, for which you can open the pantry once a day and take an average of 5 units of food from it. Hundreds of people are now using the pantries.

In addition, FudLoop has built six food collection boxes, with which we pilot the "best before" food collection in Tallinn and try to find new ways to collect leftover food, especially from households. The first of these are out for piloting in the Valdeku sauna-sports centre in Nõmme and in the Pääsküla youth centre, the search for suitable locations for other collection boxes is underway. You don't need to register as a user to donate to the collection boxes, you can place food there for free. Collected food is distributed to users through food sharing pantries.

In 2022-2023, the development of the FudLoop food sharing and food collection pantries’ network was supported by the city of Tallinn together with the Science and Business Park Tehnopol with 10,000 euros from the city's Smart City Innovation Fund.