What Refood does

Refood is a Portuguese nonprofit organization founded in 2018 and headquartered in Lisbon that works to eliminate food waste and hunger by recovering surplus food and redistributing it to people in need. Its functional model centers on collecting edible food that would otherwise be discarded — typically from food retailers, restaurants, caterers, and similar donors — and channeling it to low-income individuals and communities through a volunteer-led last-mile logistics operation. The organization was founded by Hunter Halder, who serves as Volunteer, Founder, and President, and operates with a workforce of 101-250, the majority of whom are likely volunteers given the nonprofit, mission-driven nature of the work.

The company's core "product" is the operational infrastructure for time-sensitive food rescue: donor coordination, volunteer scheduling, collection routes, and beneficiary distribution points across multiple Portuguese municipalities. There is no indication in the input data of a proprietary technology platform, digital marketplace, or software product; the source material from re-food.org returned only a loading/verification page with no substantive technical or product information. No app, API, integrations, AI/ML capabilities, patents, or trademarks are documented.

As a nonprofit, Refood does not pursue a conventional revenue model. The input records no pricing, no publicly disclosed financials, no funding rounds, no corporate sponsors, and no government grants. The organization is therefore presumed to be funded through a combination of donations, in-kind food contributions from corporate donors, volunteer labor, and potentially public-sector or municipal support — though none of these revenue streams are quantified in the supplied data. Operating geographies are centered on Portugal, with Lisbon as the headquarters city; no international footprint is claimed.

Name

Refood

Website

https://re-food.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Refood is a Lisbon-based nonprofit founded in 2018 that recovers surplus food from donors and redistributes it to people in need across Portugal, operating with 101-250 staff and volunteers under founder Hunter Halder.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Recovery and Hunger Relief Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Waste Reduction & Diversion Services (Donation, Animal Feed, Source Reduction Programs) (EUAIAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD), Donation, Reuse & Sustainability Returns Programs (TLAIAHAJ)

Keywords

• Food waste reduction
• Surplus food recovery
• Hunger relief services
• Food redistribution
• Charitable meal programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Core offering

Refood is a nonprofit organization that recovers surplus food from donors (such as supermarkets, restaurants, and other food providers) and redistributes it to feed people experiencing food insecurity. Its core activity is the logistical collection, handling, and redistribution of edible surplus food, simultaneously reducing food waste and addressing hunger in the communities it serves.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Food Recovery and Redistribution Program A volunteer-driven service that collects surplus edible food from food businesses and redistributes it as meals to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity, while reducing food waste sent to landfill.

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• FoodCloud: Ireland-based nonprofit that connects surplus food from retailers to charities via a digital platform. Direct peer to Refood as a European food rescue/redistribution organization addressing food waste and hunger through structured donation flows.
• Banco Alimentar Contra a Fome: Portuguese national food bank network collecting and distributing surplus food to charities across Portugal. Direct peer operating in the same country and same food recovery mission as Refood, often sourcing from the same donor base.
• Replate: US-based nonprofit using technology to connect businesses with surplus food to nonprofits serving food-insecure communities. Comparable mission (food waste reduction and hunger relief through corporate surplus donations) with similar volunteer-driven redistribution model.

Regional players

• FareShare: UK-based food redistribution charity that rescues surplus food and redistributes it to charities. Comparable operating model (volunteer-supported food rescue serving vulnerable populations) but focused on the UK market rather than Iberia.
• City Harvest: New York City-based food rescue organization that collects surplus food and delivers it to soup kitchens and food pantries. Comparable urban food rescue mission and volunteer-supported operating model but geographically focused on the US.
• Foodbank Australia: Australia's largest food relief organization coordinating food rescue and redistribution nationwide. Comparable surplus-food recovery and charitable feeding model but serving the Australian market rather than Europe.

Emerging players

• Too Good To Go: European for-profit marketplace app that connects consumers with surplus food from restaurants and retailers to prevent waste. Comparable surplus-food focus and European footprint but commercial model rather than donation-based.
• Olio: UK-based food-sharing platform enabling peer-to-peer redistribution of surplus food between households and businesses. Overlapping mission of food waste reduction with growing European presence but distinct peer-to-peer versus institutional charity model.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: Largest US hunger-relief nonprofit operating a nationwide network of food banks. Comparable end mission (feeding food-insecure populations) but at vastly larger scale and US-centric, representing the institutional incumbent in food rescue/charitable feeding.
• The Global FoodBanking Network: International nonprofit that supports the development of food banks in countries where hunger and food waste persist. Comparable mission of food waste reduction and hunger alleviation through structured redistribution, with potential partnership or membership relevance to Refood.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/re_food

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Refood