What Les Restos du Coeur does

Les Restos du Cœur is a French charitable association (Association loi 1901) recognized as being of public utility, founded on 26 September 1985 by comedian Coluche through an appeal on Europe 1 radio. Its primary mission is to distribute food and provide comprehensive social support to people experiencing poverty and exclusion in France. In 2024-2025, the organization served 1.3 million people and distributed 161 million meals through a network of 2,318 welcoming locations managed by departmental associations across all of France, supported by 78,000 active volunteers. Beyond food aid, the association operates 12 integrated social programs including housing assistance (notably the Péniche du Cœur floating emergency shelter in Paris), employment integration via insertion contracts, early childhood support, French language workshops, cultural access, vacation departures, legal rights support (Bus du Droit mobile clinic), budget counselling and microcredit, digital inclusion, and community gardens.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally lean and built on third-party SaaS rather than proprietary systems: iRaiser powers the donation platforms (dons.restosducoeur.org, cagnottes-restosducoeur.org, espace-donateur.restosducoeur.org), Ogone-Ingenico handles secure payment processing, Google Analytics provides traffic measurement, and Komeet, Diffuz, and Je Veux Aider enable volunteer mobilization. No proprietary AI/ML capabilities, patents, or software products are disclosed. The association funds itself through four primary streams: individual donations governed by the Loi Coluche framework (75% income tax reduction up to €536), corporate patronage across financial, in-kind, and skills-based volunteering channels (€13M raised during the 2017-2018 campaign), public subsidies including EU FEAD co-funding of insertion contracts, and in-kind food donations from agri-food companies representing approximately 40% of total food supply.

The go-to-market model is community-led: acquisition of both beneficiaries and donors is driven by word-of-mouth, an unconditional welcome principle, and 95-98% aided brand awareness (the highest of any French charity per France Générosités barometer). Corporate engagement occurs via structured patronage programs and high-visibility flagship events including the annual National Collection weekend (98,000 volunteers in 7,000+ supermarkets, 8,150 tonnes collected in 2026), the Les Enfoirés celebrity concert (8.9M TV viewers in 2019), and recurring industry-vertical operations (Cinéma a du Coeur, Vendanges du Coeur, Dîners des Chefs). The volunteer model keeps general expenses to 5.9% of resources, with each €1 of public spending generating an estimated €6 of social action through volunteer amplification.

Name

Les Restos du Coeur

Legal name

Les Restos du Cœur

Website

https://restosducoeur.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Les Restos du Cœur is a French non-profit charity founded in 1985 that distributes food aid and runs 12 social support programs (housing, employment, culture, legal aid) for 1.3 million people in need across France via 2,318 locations and 78,000 volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Food Aid and Social Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Foodservice & Hospitality Waste Services (Non-hazardous, Back-of-house) (EUAIAGAE)

Keywords

• Food aid distribution
• Social reintegration services
• Humanitarian charity
• Emergency shelter services
• Corporate patronage programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Financial donations from individual donors, both one-time and recurring (monthly). Governed by the Loi Coluche framework, individual donors benefit from 75% tax reduction on donations up to €536 and 66% beyond, capped at 20% of taxable income. General expenses are limited to 5.9% of resources thanks to volunteer labor.
2. Corporate Patronage / Mécénat: Corporate patronage in three forms: financial (€13 million received during 2017-2018 campaign, of which €7.1M financial and €6M in-kind), in-kind donations (food products, equipment, premises), and skills-based volunteering (mécénat de compétences). Supported by France's favourable patronage tax regime (60% corporate tax deduction, capped at 0.5% of annual turnover).
3. Food Donations (In-kind): In-kind food donations from agri-food companies and large retailers constitute approximately 40% of total food supply distributed, equivalent to over 40,000 tonnes per year. This also serves the goal of reducing food waste.
4. Public Subsidies: State, regional, and European subsidies (including FEAD — European Fund for Aid to the Most Deprived) that co-finance insertion contracts and operating costs. Insertion par l'Activité Économique (IAE) contracts are co-funded by the state, departmental councils, and the EU.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels16 records

Core offering

Les Restos du Coeur is a French charitable association that distributes food parcels and hot meals to people in need, complemented by a comprehensive suite of social reintegration services including emergency housing, employment insertion, language workshops, cultural access, legal aid, and microcredit support. Its operations span 2,318 welcoming locations across France, staffed by 78,000 volunteers, and reach 1.3 million beneficiaries with 161 million meals distributed annually.

Product overview

Les Restos du Coeur operates as a comprehensive social support organization offering a unified platform of assistance services centered around food aid distribution. The core offering comprises 12 integrated social programs: food aid (Aide alimentaire), housing assistance (De la rue au logement), employment integration (Emploi), early childhood support (Petite Enfance), French language and academic tutoring (Ateliers de français), cultural access (Accès à la culture), vacation departures, self-esteem building, legal and health rights access, budget counseling with microcredit, digital inclusion, and community gardens (Les Jardins de proximité). These are complemented by digital platforms including an online donation portal, a donor personal account system (Mon espace donateur), peer-to-peer fundraising pages (Cagnottes), and Radio Restos. Major sub-initiatives include Les Enfoirés (annual celebrity charity concert), the Péniche du Cœur floating shelter, and the annual national collection campaign (Collecte Nationale). The organization was founded by comedian Coluche in 1985 and maintains operations through 78,000 volunteers across 2,318 locations, distributing 161 million meals to 1.3 million people in 2024-2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Les Enfoirés: Annual charity concert and fundraising initiative featuring French artists supporting Les Restos du Cœur
• Les Jardins du Cœur
• Radio Restos
• La Péniche du Cœur
• Bus du Droit

Products and services

• Aide alimentaire (Food Aid) Core food distribution programme providing meals and food parcels to people in need through a network of over 2,300 distribution centres across France. Distributed 161 million meals to 1.3 million beneficiaries in 2024-2025.
• De la rue au logement (From Street to Housing) Housing assistance programme helping homeless individuals find permanent accommodation, including the Péniche du Coeur floating emergency shelter in Paris that accommodates up to 70 isolated adult men 365 days a year.
• Emploi (Employment Insertion) Work integration programme with 103 ateliers and chantiers d'insertion employing approximately 2,300 people in difficulty on insertion contracts to help them return to employment; 54% find employment or training upon leaving.
• Petite Enfance (Early Childhood Support) Support services for families with young children, including provision of food and baby products, childcare assistance, and nutritional guidance for infants and toddlers; 38% of beneficiaries are children.
• Ateliers de français et accompagnement scolaire (French Workshops & Academic Support) French language workshops for non-native speakers and academic tutoring for children from CP to terminale, operating across 70 centres in 37 departments.
• Accès à la culture, aux loisirs et au cinéma (Access to Culture, Leisure & Cinema) Cultural inclusion programme providing cinema visits, museum trips, and artistic activities to over 133,000 beneficiaries annually, including the 'Cinéma a du Coeur' and 'Rendez-vous au Cinéma' operations (85,000 people, ~300 cities).
• Départs en vacances (Vacation Departures) Vacation assistance programme enabling financially disadvantaged families and individuals to take holidays; approximately 5,122 departures organized in 2017.
• Estime de soi (Self-Esteem) Personal development workshops and activities designed to rebuild confidence and self-worth among people facing social exclusion.
• Accès aux droits sociaux, justice et santé (Access to Social Rights, Justice & Health) Legal and health access assistance, including the Bus du Droit mobile legal clinic providing free lawyer consultations in the Lyon area in partnership with the local bar association.
• Accompagnement au budget et microcrédit (Budget Support & Microcredit) Financial literacy, budget counselling, and microcredit advisory services in partnership with Société Générale (since 2010) to help beneficiaries manage finances and access small loans for reintegration.
• Inclusion numérique (Digital Inclusion) Digital literacy and technology access programme helping vulnerable populations develop computer and internet skills to reduce digital exclusion.
• Les Jardins de proximité (Community Gardens) Network of 41-43 urban gardens producing vegetables and fruits for distribution while providing work-integration contracts to around 900-1,305 insertion workers, yielding 372 tonnes of produce annually (2017-2018).
• Plateforme de dons en ligne (Online Donation Platform) Digital donation portal (dons.restosducoeur.org) powered by iRaiser, enabling one-time and recurring financial contributions with full tax deduction benefits under French law (Loi Coluche). Accepts cards, PayPal, bank transfer, Apple Pay, and cheque.
• Mon espace donateur (Donor Portal) Personalized donor account area allowing donors to view donation history, manage recurring donations, and update personal information.
• Cagnottes solidaires (Peer-to-Peer Online Fundraising Pages) Peer-to-peer fundraising platform allowing individuals to create personalized donation pages for supporting Les Restos du Coeur campaigns and specific projects such as the Péniche du Coeur 'À Flot Avec Vous' campaign.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.3 million people helped and 161 million meals distributed in 2024-2025
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Amazon LogisticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2026Amazon Logistics serves as a logistics partner for the National Collection, providing transport and storage capabilities for the collected products across France.
• CarrefourcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 March 2026Longstanding partner for the National Collection, opening store locations for food collection. Also supports via in-store donations.
• Lidl FrancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 March 2026Faithful supporter for National Collection operations. Has also contributed €800,000 specifically to the Péniche du Cœur renovation project.
• BNP Paribas et sa FondationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2026Major partner since 2011, supporting both food aid and employee skills-based volunteering (mécénat de compétences). In 2026, partnership was strengthened to include cultural access as a new priority axis, supporting the Cultural Week and solidarity ticketing (160 places at Foundation-supported concerts and shows).
• Fondation CarrefourcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2026Corporate foundation of retailer Carrefour, supporting Restos through food donations and National Collection participation.
• Fondation Crédit Mutuel Alliance FédéralecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2026Foundation of Crédit Mutuel bank group, supporting Restos through corporate volunteering and fundraising.
• DanonecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 March 2026Food company partner participating in National Collection and providing food donations to Restos.
• DisneyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 March 2026Partner contributing to the National Collection through marketing and promotional support.
• Groupe CasinocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 March 2026Retail group opening stores for National Collection and supporting Restos with food donations.
• IntermarchécoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 March 2026Retail partner for National Collection, providing in-store collection points and food donations.
• MACIFminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2026Insurance mutual contributing through the Diffuz Macif platform for volunteer mobilisation.
• Sodexo Stop HungercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2026Foundation created by Sodexo in 1996 to fight hunger worldwide. Has worked with Restos du Cœur for over 20 years, providing food donations and skills-based volunteering. A young agronomy engineer (Lisa Petit) from Stop Hunger is on a skills secondment at Restos.
• STEFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2026Logistics and transport partner for the National Collection, providing cold chain and transport services for collected products.
• Geodis DistributioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2026Logistics partner for transport and storage of collected products during National Collection.
• La PosteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2026French postal service contributing logistics support for the National Collection.
• KomeetminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 March 2026Platform for volunteer missions used by Suez and other companies to connect employees with association volunteering opportunities.
• Diffuz MacifminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 March 2026Platform for solidarity engagement, helping to mobilise volunteers for Restos.
• Je Veux AiderminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 March 2026Volunteer mobilisation platform helping connect volunteers with Restos missions.
• Brico Dépôt, Capgemini, CMA CGM, GBFoods, Lactalis, MAE, Pluxee, YoplaitminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 March 2026Corporate partners mobilising employees as volunteers during the National Collection weekend.
• SerdecocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partner since 2008 (18th edition). Annual 'Santé et Solidarité au Bureau' operation distributes fruit baskets and donation boxes in client companies. Serdeco covers all operating costs. Has generated over €330,000 in donations (= 330,000 meals). Also provides plants for Restos headquarters and Paris centres.
• FNCF (Fédération Nationale des Cinémas Français)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019National federation of French cinemas. Partner in the 'Le Cinéma a du Coeur' operation where €1 per ticket sold during the event week is donated to Restos. Nearly €1.7 million raised in the first edition (2019).
• CinéfinancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Finance partner for the cinema solidarity initiative, supporting 'Les Rendez-vous au Cinéma' programme for 20 years.
• StudiocanalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Film studio and distributor supporting cinema solidarity events and film donations for Restos benefit screenings.
• NotoryouminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Paris creative studio specialising in immersive VR experiences. Provided a free virtual tour of the Péniche du Cœur to help communicate the fundraising campaign.
• Groupe SuezcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Suez group partner since approximately 3 years. Employees volunteer through the Komeet platform (2 days/year on work time). 70 employees participated in the 2026 National Collection; targeting 100 in 2027. Skills-based volunteering (mécénat de compétences) for near-retirees is also being developed with Restos.
• AquassistanceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Suez group's humanitarian aid association providing volunteer humanitarian missions, complementing the Fondation Suez.
• Les CollectionneurscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2018Network of gourmet restaurant chefs (led by Alain Ducasse) who hold annual fundraising dinners across France. Since 2014, five editions have raised over €470,000 (equivalent to 470,000 meals). Dinners held simultaneously in 10 cities at €100/person.
• CGR Cinémas, Ciné Alpes, Cinéville, Kinepolis, Pathé Gaumont, UGCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2018Major cinema chains participating in the 'Le Cinéma a du Coeur' operation and the 'Le Grand Bain' charity premiere. Together with Studiocanal and FNCF, they provided the avant-première in 20 cities on 16 October 2018 with all proceeds to Restos.
• iRaisercoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Digital fundraising platform provider for dons.restosducoeur.org and cagnottes-restosducoeur.org. iRaiser manages online donation processing, payment security, and fundraising page infrastructure.

Scale indicators27 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Secours Populaire Français: Major French humanitarian charity providing food aid, clothing, and social support to people in precarious situations, with a similar volunteer-driven distribution model and departmental federation structure across France.
• Croix-Rouge française: French Red Cross operates food distribution, emergency shelter, and social reintegration programs for vulnerable populations, with comparable national infrastructure and reliance on volunteers and donor financing.
• Fédération Française des Banques Alimentaires: Network of 79 food banks across France collecting and redistributing food to charities including Restos, focused on food rescue from supermarkets and agri-food industry; directly comparable food aid redistribution model.
• Emmaüs France: French federation of Emmaüs solidarity organizations addressing poverty through housing, employment insertion, and second-hand goods collection; comparable volunteer-driven charity with similar departmental federation model and reintegration mission.
• Action contre la Faim: Major French-founded international humanitarian organization fighting hunger through food security, nutrition, and water/sanitation programs, with comparable food aid mission and corporate partnership model.
• Fondation Abbé Pierre: French foundation fighting substandard housing and exclusion, recognized as public utility, addressing overlapping beneficiary segments (homeless, people in precarious situations) with a focus on housing pathways aligned with Restos' "De la rue au logement" program.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: Largest US hunger-relief organization operating a network of 200+ food banks serving 40M+ people annually; the US analog of Les Restos du Cœur at significantly larger scale, with comparable corporate food rescue model and volunteer-driven distribution.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): Larger French-founded international humanitarian organization providing medical aid in crisis zones, with comparable reliance on private donations, volunteer engagement, and tax-deductible giving framework in France.

Emerging players

• Fédération des Entreprises d'Insertion: French federation of integration-through-work enterprises, relevant peer given Restos' 2,300 insertion contracts and 103 ateliers/chantiers d'insertion; shares the IAE (Insertion par l'Activité Économique) funding framework.

Others

• Stop Hunger (Sodexo): Sodexo's foundation fighting hunger worldwide for 25+ years and a long-standing partner of Les Restos du Cœur; operates its own food aid programs internationally while providing skills-based volunteering and food donations to Restos, making it an adjacent ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/restosducoeur
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LesRestosDuCoeur
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/restos-du-coeur
• Instagraminstagram.com/restosducoeur
• Facebookfacebook.com/restosducoeur

Compliance3 records

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 Les Restos du Coeur