Dussmann Austria and the Samariterbund Wien are working together to make sustainable use of surplus food.

An innovative pilot project to combat food waste is launching in Vienna: Dussmann Austria and the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Wien are collaborating to sustainably reuse surplus food from the Inclusive School Center at Hebbelplatz 2 in the 10th district and distribute it to those in need. The project, initiated by the city administration, represents an important step in the responsible use of food.

Taking responsibility together. Fresh meals are offered to students daily at the school center. Despite careful planning, leftover food is always left over. For hygiene reasons, it cannot be reused. But instead of throwing it away, a sustainable solution is now being implemented: First, the leftover food is gently and quickly chilled in the blast chiller provided by Dussmann. A blast chiller allows food to be cooled to a safe temperature in a very short time. Rapid cooling prevents the proliferation of germs and thus guarantees food safety. The next morning, the Samaritan Association collects the food and distributes it to people in need at the social market in time for lunch.

Elisabeth Eichinger, director of the Hebbelplatz School Center, is delighted: "It's great to see that our surplus food isn't wasted, but can be shared in a meaningful way. This initiative is a win-win for everyone—our school, the environment, and people in need."

Thomas Bogendorfer, Head of Organization & Facility Management for School Catering at Dussmann, explains: "As a major provider of catering services, we bear a special responsibility to operate sustainably. Our cooperation with the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (Workers' Samaritan Federation) is a further step in our commitment to combating food waste. The use of our blast chiller ensures the quality of the food and enables its reuse. We are pleased to be making a contribution to our society with this initiative and are always open to further developments."

Georg Jelenko, project manager in the social sector of the Austrian Workers' Samaritan Federation, Vienna branch, also emphasizes the importance of the initiative: "Food waste is a pressing social and ecological problem. The cooperation with Dussmann Austria enables us to distribute high-quality food directly to people in need. This initiative demonstrates how partnerships can work smoothly in the spirit of sustainability. The findings of the pilot project will be incorporated into our future planning."

The campaign will also identify which dishes are particularly popular and which are less popular. These findings will be incorporated into future meal planning at schools to minimize food waste right from the preparation stage.

Multifaceted commitment to combating food waste. Dussmann has long been committed to combating food waste. With partners like Too Good To Go, surplus food is put to good use. The company also relies on forward-looking meal planning. Furthermore, sustainable, reusable packaging is used and efficient waste management is practiced.

Sustainability in focus. Especially in school and corporate catering, Dussmann pays particular attention to appropriate portion sizes and the integration of sustainability aspects into all food initiatives. Worldwide, more than a third of all food is wasted. With this new initiative, Dussmann Austria demonstrates that innovative concepts and strong partnerships can help counteract this problem.