We strongly believe that access to food is an inalienable human right.
Since our establishment in 2012, we have been working for an environment and practices that encourage companies in the food industry not to waste food and to donate it to various social programs.
Since 2012 we have saved from waste and provided food in the social sector for nearly BGN 10,000,000.
At the same time, 400,000,000 kilograms of food is still wasted and we estimate its annual value to be BGN 2,000,000,000.
If this food is utilized it should be sufficient to feed every single person in need in the country.
We have the expertise to work with short shelf life foods and provide food aid to over 130 organizations and programs , taking care of people in need or at risk of poverty.
Our daily operation supports the budget of the people we take care of, and improves their living conditions.
Our commitment to work every day so that excess food is donated instead of wasted came to life on the day of registration of the Bulgarian Food Bank Foundation in 2012.
Until mid-2015, we have been building our capacity to work with donated food from various companies in the food industry and refining our vision and approaches so that donated food can be delivered to people in need.
Already in the same year, we took up the challenge to assist the state administration and legislators to update the legal practice for donating food in Bulgaria.
At the beginning of 2017, the food law was updated with the fourth section specifically dedicated to food banking.
At the same time, the laws already allowed donated food to be exempt from VAT when it was donated to a food bank operator.
Food donation despite these legal changes continued to be hampered by administrative requirements for additional labeling and unclearly defined responsibilities in the process.
The initial statistical assessment of the amount of usable food wasted showed that 670,000 tons annually were wasted, and this figure remained unchanged.
The data on the volume of wasted food that Bulgaria presented to the European Commission in 2022 showed that 400,000,000 kilograms of food annually is still being wasted instead of being donated.
We estimate the value of this waste to be BGN 2,000,000,000.
We believe that if donated these foods, would significantly contribute to the budget of both people in need and various organizations, and municipalities in the country.
With recent changes in several laws and by order of the executive director of the NRA on 1/07/2022, all administrative obstacles for the food industry to donate excess food with a short shelf life have been removed.
The life of donated food begins with acceptance in the Bulgarian Food Bank and continues as food donated to many organizations that take care of people in need.
In 2022, with donated food, we supported over 130 organizations throughout the country and improved the living conditions of 60 957 people in need or at risk.