Delivering change: How EIT Food and Wolt are turning food waste into action
Millions of meals are delivered every day. Too many end up in the bin
In the European Union, over 59 million tonnes of food are wasted each year. That equals 132 kilograms per person – a staggering amount, especially when considered alongside its market value of approximately 132 billion euros. Perfectly edible food is being discarded across the supply chain – from farms and factories to supermarkets and households. At the same time, 42 million people across the EU are unable to afford a quality meal every other day.
The imbalance is clear: while some have too much, others have too little. Food is being lost on one end, while it is desperately needed on the other. And it’s not just a logistical issue – it’s a social, economic, and environmental failure.
Solving this problem requires more than just improving efficiency or reducing waste through technology. It demands a rethinking of priorities. It calls for collaboration across sectors – between governments, food producers, distributors, innovators, and communities.
Turning scale into sustainability
To help address this challenge, EIT Food has partnered with Wolt, a leading food delivery platform operating in:
The goal: to embed sustainability into everyday experiences and turn food delivery into a driver of systemic change.
This collaboration combines Wolt’s digital infrastructure and urban reach with EIT Food’s system-level knowledge and innovation ecosystem. It is designed to deliver impact where it counts most – in people’s daily choices.
Collaboration is key to transforming our food system. Working with Wolt allows us to turn ambition into action, using everyday services to reach people at scale and deliver measurable results.
A partnership with three priorities
Reducing food waste in homes and cities, where it is most prevalent
Expanding the use of sustainable packaging in the delivery chain
Using digital tools to move surplus food to those who need it
These actions aim to reduce environmental pressure, improve resource efficiency, and support a more equitable food system.
Food is central to everything we do at Wolt. With this partnership, we’re moving beyond packaging and emissions. We’re focused on real, systemic change, from tackling waste to improving food access and transparency.
Real action, delivered daily
This partnership is not a one-off initiative. It is a long-term commitment to rethink how food moves, how it's packaged, and how it serves both people and the planet.
Every order placed is an opportunity to reduce waste. Every delivery is a chance to create value. Together with Wolt, we are proving that digital platforms can drive real, measurable progress in the food system.
Partner with us
If your organisation is working to build a more sustainable, innovative, and fair food system, we would love to hear from you. EIT Food collaborates with startups, corporates, research institutions, and cities across Europe to turn bold ideas into real-world solutions.
Interested in partnering with EIT Food?
Sources:
- Eurostat (2024). Food waste statistics: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Food_waste_statistics
- Inability to afford a meal every second day: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1549687/inability-afford-meal-every-second-day-eu/
- UNEP Food Waste Index Report (2024): https://www.unep.org/resources/publication/food-waste-index-report-2024