RECUP

What RECUP does

RECUP is an Italian nonprofit association (Associazione di Promozione Sociale, APS) founded in 2016 in Milan and expanded to Rome in 2021, focused on recovering unsold fruits and vegetables from neighborhood markets and wholesale markets that would otherwise be discarded, and redistributing them free of charge to citizens and third-sector organizations. RECUP operates across 24 markets — 8 in Milan, 7 in Rome, and additional locations in San Donato Milanese, Paderno Dugnano, Arese, and Garbagnate — plus the Ortomercato wholesale market (Sogemi) in Milan, where it recovers produce four mornings per week. The organization served approximately 50,000 people and redistributed 436 tonnes of food in a single year, while avoiding 488 tonnes of CO2 emissions, and has cumulatively recovered over 1 million kg of food since inception.

The model is built on a volunteer-driven community ecosystem: 300+ operational volunteers work alongside approximately 10 paid staff, supported by 50+ corporate partners (including Bonduelle, Bottega Veneta, KPMG, PwC Italia, Mapei, Marsh, Ubisoft, and We Are Era) and 55+ third-sector associations (Croce Rossa Italiana, Banco Alimentare, Caritas, Pane Quotidiano, Opera Cardinal Ferrari, Emergency). The organization generates revenue through individual donations (preset €14/€30/€50 prompts), the Italian 5x1000 tax designation (fiscal code 97759920156), a tiered monthly Banana Card subscription program (€5/€14/€25), corporate volunteering and team-building events, and legacy gifts; it also receives public funding through awards such as the 2024 Earthshot Prize (via Comune di Milano). The technology stack is minimal — a WordPress website, Stripe and PayPal payment processing, email newsletters, and standard social media channels — with no proprietary software or AI/ML systems.

RECUP is governed by a board of directors led by President Federica Canaparo (co-founder, appointed 2022), with the operational team including Alberto Piccardo (Corporate Projects and Ortomercato), Giuliana Mancini (Fundraising), Eleonora D'Elia (Community Manager), and Sofia Cavaliere (Corporate Social Responsibility). The organization actively participates in Rome's Food Policy Council, coordinates the food waste prevention working group, and is pursuing inclusion in the national anti-waste coordination table under L. 166/2016, signaling institutional rather than commercial scaling ambitions.

Name

RECUP

Legal name

RECUP Associazione di Promozione Sociale

Website

https://associazionerecup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Short description

RECUP is an Italian nonprofit association that recovers unsold fruits and vegetables from 24 neighborhood and wholesale markets in Milan and Rome, redistributing 436 tonnes of food annually to 50,000 people through 300+ volunteers and 55 partner associations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Recovery and Redistribution Services

NAICS

Waste Collection (56211)

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 recovery operations
• Surplus food redistribution
• Food waste prevention
• Community volunteer programs
• Corporate volunteering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: RECUP receives donations from individuals through its website, with preset amounts (€14, €30, €50) or custom donations. These support the association's ongoing food recovery operations and overhead costs.
2. 5x1000 Tax Designation: Italian taxpayers can designate 0.5% of their income tax (5x1000) to RECUP by entering fiscal code 97759920156 in their tax return. This represents a cost-free donation mechanism for supporters.
3. Banana Card Monthly Subscriptions: The Banana Card is a recurring monthly donation program with tiered options: €5/month (Banana Baby), €14/month (Banana), and €25/month (Banana Gold). Cardholders receive discounts at partner businesses. This provides predictable recurring revenue for operational planning.
4. Corporate Volunteering Programs: Companies engage employees in team-building activities at RECUP markets, with 50 companies participating in 2023 and 528 corporate volunteers involved in 2024. This may include direct company support or sponsorship of activities.
5. Legacy Gifts and Wills: RECUP accepts testamentary bequests where donors can leave money, securities, assets, or life insurance proceeds to the association as part of their estate planning.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

RECUP recovers unsold fruit and vegetables from 24 neighborhood markets and the wholesale Ortomercato in Milan and Rome that would otherwise be discarded, and redistributes them for free to participating citizens and to approximately 55 partner third-sector associations. The association operates with 300+ volunteers who both select and receive food, combining food waste reduction with food security and social inclusion. Supporting paid offerings include the Banana Card monthly donation program, corporate team-building activities, and themed anti-waste laboratories.

Product overview

RECUP is a non-profit association (Associazione di Promozione Sociale) that operates a food recovery and redistribution system across 24 markets in Milan and Rome. The core offering is the Food Recovery and Distribution Service, where volunteers recover unsold produce from markets and distribute it freely without distinctions. Supporting services include the Banana Card monthly membership program, Corporate Team Building activities (team cooking, creative laboratories, quiz events), and public workshops. RECUP also offers fundraising mechanisms including 5x1000 tax designation and one-time donations. The Banana Card provides member benefits through partner establishments. All services work toward the mission of combating food waste, climate crisis, and social exclusion while promoting food security and active citizenship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Banana Card: Monthly donation card program allowing supporters to contribute regularly to RECUP's operations. Available in three tiers: Banana Baby (€5/month), Banana (€14/month), and Banana Gold (€25/month). Card holders receive discounts at partner establishments including Folà, Al Buon Convento, Luca Gelaterie, Rumi Bottega Organica, and Bella Dentro Kitchen.

Products and services

• Food Recovery and Distribution Service Core service involving the recovery of unsold fruits and vegetables from 24 neighborhood markets and the Ortomercato wholesale market in Milan and Rome, redistributing the food freely to participating citizens and to partner third-sector associations without distinctions.
• Banana Card Monthly donation/membership program with three tiers: Banana Baby (€5/month), Banana (€14/month), and Banana Gold (€25/month). Cardholders receive discounts at partner establishments including Fòla, Al Buon Convento, Luca Gelaterie, Rumi Bottega Organica, and Bella Dentro Kitchen.
• Corporate Team Building Paid corporate volunteering program where companies engage employees in food recovery activities at RECUP markets. Includes team cooking workshops, creative laboratories, and the Quiz Cime di Rapa game. Companies receive impact reports for CSR purposes.
• Cucina Antispreco Laboratory Anti-waste cooking workshop where participants transform recovered food into creative recipes, learning to valorize ingredients that would otherwise be wasted. Available to participants engaging with RECUP's recovery activities.
• Colori Naturali Laboratory Creative workshop teaching participants to create natural watercolors from recovered fruit and vegetable scraps, raising awareness about unconventional uses of food waste.
• Diario Segreto Laboratory Educational and creative 1-hour workshop where participants construct a diary using exclusively recovered materials such as magazines, cardboard, and colored threads.
• Quiz Cime di Rapa Team quiz game for up to 90 players divided into teams with 10 challenging questions on topics including nature, ecosystems, energy, circular economy, cities, and technologies. Available only in Milan as part of the corporate team building offering.
• 5x1000 Tax Designation Program Italian tax designation program allowing taxpayers to allocate 0.5% of their IRPEF tax (5x1000) to RECUP using fiscal code 97759920156 in their tax return, providing a no-cost donation mechanism for supporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• 436 tonnes of food recovered and redistributed annually
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sogemi (Ortomercato Milano)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Sogemi operates the Ortomercato wholesale market where RECUP recovers food from grossists. RECUP has been operating in the market since 2020, recovering produce on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings. This partnership is fundamental to RECUP's operations and scale of impact.
• Croce Rossa ItalianacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of approximately 55 partner associations receiving recovered food from RECUP for redistribution to people in need through Croce Rossa's humanitarian programs.
• Banco AlimentarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner association receiving recovered food for redistribution through Banco Alimentare's network addressing food insecurity.
• CaritascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner receiving recovered food for distribution to vulnerable populations through Caritas's extensive social service network.
• Pane QuotidianocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner association receiving recovered food for daily meal services to those in need.
• Opera Cardinal FerraricoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitution since 1921 providing meals to people in severe social marginality. RECUP provides fresh vegetables twice weekly from Ortomercato, enabling preparation of approximately 200 meals daily. Located near Tibaldi station in Milan.
• EmergencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare NGO operating mobile clinic and food hub at Cascina Cuccagna in Milan. RECUP provides produce for the hub serving approximately 350 family units monthly. In 2024, 7,838 kg of produce were transferred through this partnership.
• BiovaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCraft brewery recovering unsold bread to produce beer. RECUP has initiated collaboration resulting in a branded beer. Future plans include flavored beers using RECUP fruit and vegetables from Ortomercato.
• Luca GelaterieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst gelato shop in Milan using RECUP recovered fruit to create unique gelato flavors. Offers 10% discount on containers and 50 cents off cones/cups to Banana Card holders.
• Rumi Bottega OrganicaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRome organic food shop and catering service using RECUP produce. Offers 10% discount on food from €7+ and 7% on fresh products from €15+ to Banana Card holders.
• Bella Dentro KitchenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZero-waste fast food restaurant in Milan using RECUP produce for Comida Social project serving homeless individuals. Offers 10% discount to Banana Card holders. RECUP acts as bridge for produce recovery.
• Al Buon ConventominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor40+ year Milan restaurant offering complimentary cicchetto veneziano to Banana Card holders as part of RECUP discount program.
• FòlaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMilan pastry shop, deli, and neighborhood store offering 10% discount to Banana Card holders.
• Comune di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilan municipality awarded RECUP operational headquarters through public call in 2019 and provided Earthshot Prize funding in 2024 for the Antispreco Alliance project. Active collaborator in food policy initiatives.
• Comune di Roma / Food Policy CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRome municipality established Food Policy Council (Delibera 38/2021 and 68/2023). RECUP participates in the council and coordinates the food waste prevention working group. Contributed to food poverty delibera (271/2025).
• Fermenti (Polo Civico)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivic Pole founded by RECUP in Rome's Municipality VIII. Operates as a hub connecting food recovery with social services, cultural activities, and community cooking. Part of the 'Fermenti' project for food poverty in Rome.
• Mercabarna / FoodbackminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBarcelona wholesale market model studied by RECUP. Foodback operates as a logistics center for food recovery at Mercabarna. RECUP participated in CULTIVATE EU project to learn from and replicate Barcelona's model in Milan.
• CULTIVATE ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded project to enhance food sharing initiatives and replicate existing projects for sustainable food systems in urban areas. RECUP participates as partner learning from Barcelona model.
• Corporate Volunteer PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner50 companies participated in 2023 corporate volunteering programs with 528 volunteers in 2024. Named partners include Bonduelle, Bottega Veneta, KPMG, We Are Era, Ubisoft, Mapei, Marsh, PwC Italia. Companies gain CSR impact, team-building, and impact reports.
• Poli Civici (Civic Poles)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivic Poles established by Rome municipality (Delibera 116/2024) as intermediate body between public sector and third sector for social development projects. Fermenti is one such pole founded with RECUP involvement.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Banco Alimentare: Italy's national food bank network recovering and redistributing surplus food to charities. RECUP is a direct peer in food recovery and one of its 55 partner associations, with overlapping donor and volunteer ecosystems.
• Caritas Italiana: National Catholic charitable organization providing food and social services to vulnerable populations. RECUP is a partner association, but Caritas operates its own food distribution programs, making it both collaborator and partial competitor in the same food security space.
• Last Minute Market: Italian spin-off from the University of Bologna focused on recovering and redistributing unsold food across the supply chain. Directly comparable to RECUP's mission and Italian geographic footprint, with a more academic/research-oriented approach.
• Foodback (Mercabarna): Barcelona-based food recovery logistics center operating at the Mercabarna wholesale market — RECUP explicitly studied its model as a benchmark for scaling Ortomercato operations. Closest operational analog to RECUP's wholesale market recovery activity.
• Pane Quotidiano: Milan-based nonprofit distributing food to those in need daily since 1898. One of RECUP's 55 partner associations, but also an independent operator with overlapping beneficiary base and food sourcing needs.

Broad incumbents

• Too Good To Go: Pan-European app-based marketplace connecting consumers with surplus food from restaurants and retailers. Operates in Italy and addresses the same food waste problem but via a tech-enabled B2C model rather than a volunteer-led community model.
• European Food Banks Federation (FEBA): Umbrella organization representing European food banks, including Italy's Banco Alimentare. Sets policy and best practice for food recovery across Europe — RECUP operates in the same ecosystem and is influenced by FEBA's policy advocacy.

Emerging players

• Olio (Olive): UK-origin app enabling neighbors and businesses to share surplus food and other items. Targets overlapping food waste and food insecurity outcomes but uses a digital marketplace rather than physical recovery logistics.
• FoodCloud: Irish-founded social enterprise using technology to redistribute surplus food to charities. Comparable to RECUP's mission of food recovery and redistribution to third-sector organizations, with a more tech-enabled operational model.

Regional players

• Equo Garantito: Italian consortium of fair trade and sustainable economy organizations, including social enterprises. RECUP participates in the broader Italian social economy ecosystem that Equo Garantito represents, though Equo Garantito focuses on fair trade rather than food recovery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/recup_org
• Facebookfacebook.com/recup.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/recup-org
• Instagraminstagram.com/recup_org

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

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 RECUP