Espigoladors

What Espigoladors does

Fundació Espigoladors is a Barcelona-based non-profit foundation (registered in the Generalitat de Catalunya registry, number 3075) that addresses food loss and waste at the agricultural primary-sector stage through a tripartite model combining volunteer-driven gleaning, social redistribution, and food transformation. The organization coordinates gleaning events where 3,483+ volunteers recover surplus or aesthetically-discarded fruits and vegetables from 265 producer partners, then channels the produce to 76 social entities serving vulnerable populations or routes it to the wholly-owned subsidiary es im-perfect®, which produces 100% natural vegetable preserves and generated 26 labor opportunities for at-risk workers in 2024. Cumulative operational impact includes 3,025 tonnes of food recovered, 9.58 million rations served, and 2,070 tonnes of CO2 emissions avoided.

The organization's commercial offerings span corporate services (corporate gleaning, team-building, zero-waste cooking workshops, showcooking, trainings, awareness workshops, and inspirational talks), public-sector services for administrations, and educational programs for schools and universities. Distribution channels include direct redistribution to social entities, e-commerce via esimperfect.com for preserves, and direct sales of corporate and educational services. The foundation participates in multiple EU-funded projects beyond Catalonia, including CULTIVATE (9 European cities, led by Trinity College Dublin), PDApp (digital tools for the horticultural sector), Folou (food-loss measurement methodology), and P(0)MA (industrial symbiosis in agri-food).

The revenue model blends four streams: sale of es im-perfect® preserves, corporate services on a custom-quotation basis, public-sector services for administrations, and third-sector training/awareness services, supplemented by grants from the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, and EU project funding. The go-to-market is hybrid: community-led mobilization via the #jonollenço movement and volunteer engagement, event-driven activation through the #joespigolo Marathon and gleaning events, and sales-led corporate-services outreach. Pricing for services is not publicly disclosed; es im-perfect® products are sold direct-to-consumer and via corporate gifting. Operations are concentrated in Catalonia with a growing European project footprint.

Name

Espigoladors

Legal name

FUNDACIÓ ESPIGOLADORS

Website

https://espigoladors.cat

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Barcelona-based non-profit foundation that recovers surplus agricultural produce through volunteer gleaning, redistributes food to social entities, operates the es im-perfect® social insertion enterprise producing preserves, and delivers corporate, public sector, and educational services on food waste prevention across Catalonia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Waste Recovery and Social Services

NAICS

Fruit and Vegetable Canning, Pickling, and Drying (31142), Community Food Services (624210), Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Canned, Fruits, Veg, Preserves, Jams & Jellies (2033), Agricultural Services (700), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Product Take-Back & Reverse Logistics Programs (EUAIANAA), Reuse & Resale / Recommerce Operations (EUAIANAC), Food Security, Agriculture & Nutrition Aid Programs (BPADABAD)

Keywords

• Food waste recovery
• Gleaning volunteer services
• Social employment programs
• Natural fruit preserves
• Corporate sustainability workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Barcelona

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. es im-perfect Product Sales: Sale of natural vegetable preserves made from recovered surplus produce through the social insertion company es im-perfect.
2. Corporate Services: Services offered to companies including corporate gleaning activities, team building, zero-waste cooking workshops, showcooking, trainings, awareness workshops, and inspiring talks.
3. Public Sector Services: Services to public administrations including awareness campaigns, educational programs, and food waste reduction initiatives.
4. Third Sector Services: Services to third sector organizations including training and awareness programs on food utilization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fundació Espigoladors coordinates volunteer-driven gleaning programs (Espigolaments) that recover surplus and cosmetically imperfect fruits and vegetables from agricultural fields and redistribute them to social entities serving people in vulnerable situations. The organization transforms a portion of the recovered produce into 100% natural vegetable preserves marketed under the es im-perfect® brand, while creating employment pathways for people at risk of social exclusion. It also offers corporate team-building, training, awareness workshops, and educational programs aimed at preventing food loss and waste.

Product overview

Fundació Espigoladors is a non-profit organization offering a multi-faceted approach to food recovery and sustainable food systems. The core offering consists of Espigolaments (gleaning programs) where volunteers collect discarded produce from farms for distribution to social entities. This connects to es im-perfect®, a sub-brand producing 100% natural vegetable preserves from recovered and imperfect produce, generating employment for vulnerable populations. The organization also provides commercial services including corporate gleaning team-building activities, zero-waste cooking workshops, showcooking demonstrations, professional trainings, awareness workshops, and inspiring talks. Multiple research and education projects including P(0)MA, Cultivate, PDApp, and Folou complement the operational programs, along with school-based initiatives and learning-service programs for youth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• es im-perfect®: A sub-brand and social insertion company producing 100% natural and vegetable preserves from food surplus and imperfect fruits and vegetables, generating labor opportunities for people in vulnerable situations.

Products and services

• Espigolaments (Gleaning Programs) Volunteer-led field gleaning activities in which groups harvest surplus or cosmetically imperfect fruits and vegetables left in fields after the main commercial harvest. The recovered produce is donated to social entities that distribute it to vulnerable groups, while participants (often companies, schools, or public administrations) learn about food waste firsthand.
• es im-perfect® Vegetable Preserves A product line of 100% natural vegetable preserves (jams, spreads, gazpacho, tomato sauce) made from recovered surplus and cosmetically imperfect produce. Sold via online store and corporate gifting channels to consumers and businesses seeking sustainable, socially responsible food gifts.
• Espigolades Corporatives (Corporate Gleaning) A corporate-engagement service offering companies a hands-on team-building and CSR experience where employee groups participate in a gleaning field day. Combines volunteering with sustainability awareness and is delivered to organizations as a contracted activity.
• Zero-Waste Cooking Workshops and Showcooking Practical cooking workshops and showcooking sessions that teach participants how to use surplus and imperfect produce to prepare complete, waste-free meals. Delivered to companies, schools, public administrations, and consumer audiences.
• Awareness Workshops and Inspiring Talks Facilitated workshops and talks that raise awareness about food loss, food waste, and social exclusion, and motivate behavioural change. Delivered to schools, universities, companies, and public sector organizations.
• es im-perfect® Online Store Online direct-to-consumer and corporate gifting e-commerce channel selling es im-perfect® preserves, allowing individuals and businesses to purchase the product line and support the organization's social mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,025 tonnes of food recovered, 2,070 tonnes CO2 emissions avoided, 2,002 million liters water saved, 9,581,104 food rations served
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Tandem SocialcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Co-organized the 'Plantem-nos' training program for community leaders aged 18-35 in food sovereignty and food recovery in Barcelona.
• CEHDA-GhanacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022International partner in the 'Plantem-nos' program alongside Fundació Espigoladors and Tandem Social.
• Unió de PagesoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Unió de Pagesos (farmers' union) to promote healthy and sustainable food and critical consumption in Barcelona's Marina neighborhood through the 'Del Camp al Barri' project.
• Ajuntament de Barcelona (Barcelona City Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the 'Del Camp al Barri' project promoting healthy and sustainable food in the Marina neighborhood. Also supported #Barcelonaespigola gleaning of orange trees.
• Trinity College DublincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead institution of the European CULTIVATE project, bringing together universities, municipalities and community food initiatives in 9 European cities to build more sustainable and resilient local food systems.
• MercabarnacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWholesale market hosting Foodback, a circular economy center that recovered 900 tonnes of surplus fruit and vegetables for 250 social organizations. Site of CULTIVATE project conference.
• PEMB (Barcelona Metropolitan Strategic Plan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganized European CULTIVATE project conference with Mercabarna on wholesale markets as multifunctional public assets for food redistribution and social innovation.
• FoodbackcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCircular economy center at Mercabarna wholesale market that recovered 900 tonnes of surplus fruit and vegetables for 250 social organizations last year.
• COAG (Agricultural Cooperatives)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the PDApp Operational Group project to reduce food losses in the horticultural sector through digital tools based on circular economy principles.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Impact Hub Barcelona: Social-enterprise incubator and community in Barcelona supporting impact-driven ventures. Comparable social-enterprise ecosystem presence and es im-perfect-style hybrid revenue model logic.
• ReFED: US-based nonprofit working to reduce food waste across the value chain through data, analysis, and stakeholder engagement. Adjacent mission in food-waste reduction but focused on policy/measurement rather than field operations.

Regional players

• Banc dels Aliments de Barcelona: Catalonia-based food bank redistributing surplus food to vulnerable populations through a network of social entities. Comparable end-customer (food-insecure populations) and distribution model, focused on post-harvest rather than field-level surplus.
• Caritas Diocesana de Barcelona: Catholic social-services organization addressing poverty and social exclusion in Barcelona, including food assistance programs. Comparable target beneficiaries (vulnerable populations) and Catalan regional footprint.
• Foodback (Mercabarna): Circular economy center at Barcelona's wholesale market redistributing 900 tonnes of surplus fruit and vegetables annually to 250 social organizations. Direct operational overlap with Espigoladors in the Barcelona food recovery ecosystem.
• Fundación Banc de Alimentos (FESBAL): Spanish federation of food banks coordinating nationwide food redistribution to vulnerable populations. Comparable mission and reliance on volunteer/charitable networks, with broader geographic reach than Espigoladors.
• Fundación Trincheras de Luz / Spanish Social-Insertion Enterprises: Network of Spanish social-insertion enterprises (empresas de inserción) employing people at risk of exclusion. Comparable social-employment mission and hybrid commercial/social model to es im-perfect.

Direct peers

• Too Good To Go: European marketplace app that connects consumers with surplus food from retailers and producers to prevent food waste. Directly comparable mission and B2C/B2B audience, though Espigoladors anchors on farm-side gleaning and social insertion rather than consumer-facing surplus resale.
• Olio: UK-based food-sharing platform that redistributes surplus food between households, businesses, and charities. Shares the surplus-recovery and community-redistribution ethos with Espigoladors but operates a tech-mediated model rather than volunteer gleaning.

Broad incumbents

• Carrefour España (Solidarity Programs): Major Spanish retailer running surplus-food donation programs to food banks and NGOs. Operates at vastly larger scale in the same food-surplus redistribution space as Espigoladors, though via retail rather than farm-level gleaning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/espigoladors
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEDmWXwlwgwvxTnpt1XkbSw
• Facebookfacebook.com/espigoladors
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/espigoladors
• Instagraminstagram.com/espigoladors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 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 Espigoladors