Bellebouffe

What Bellebouffe does

Bellebouffe is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) founded in 2019 in Lyon, focused on food justice, sustainable food systems, and food democracy in Lyon Métropole. It operates two physical third-places — Le Faitout in La Mulatière (opened 2023) and Plateau Ressource in Vénissieux (integrated 2025) — that serve as hubs for a solidarity canteen, cooking workshops (Rencontres Gourmandes), farm visits, and cultural events including the annual Bouillon de CultureS festival. The association serves a mixed audience that combines people experiencing food insecurity with the broader Lyon Métropole population interested in sustainable food practices, students (via Festi'Bouffe), and the wider civic community.

Bellebouffe's core products blend in-person programming with community-built digital assets. The signature asset is the open-source Carte Manger Local interactive map, originally co-created during COVID-19 with Zero Déchet Lyon, which currently lists 540+ local food locations and is being extended through the DATA BOUFFE data initiative. Additional products include the Tranches de Cake podcast, the Plantothèque-Matériauthèque (a tool and plant library), farm-visit programming, and seasonal solidarity events such as the Banquet de Noël. There is no proprietary AI or ML layer; the technological differentiator is the curated, locality-specific open dataset and the participatory editorial process behind it.

The association's revenue model is grant-and-donation based rather than commercial. FY2025 total products were €201,442.06, with the largest funding lines drawn from French public-sector backers — Métropole de Lyon, Ville de Vénissieux, DDETS, ANRU, and Banque des Territoires — supplemented by small-ticket private donations collected through HelloAsso. Labor is sourced from a combination of volunteers (40+, contributing 542+ hours in 2025), Service Civique missions, and a small salaried team, with governance provided by a board re-elected in 2025 under the continuing presidency of Marie-Amandine Vermillon. Reach in 2025 extended to over 1,000 people across Lyon Métropole through a network of more than 30 partner associations.

Name

Bellebouffe

Legal name

Bellebouffe

Website

https://bellebouffe.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bellebouffe is a Lyon-based non-profit association founded in 2019 working on food justice through two physical third-places, community cooking workshops, festivals, and an open-source map of 540+ local food locations serving Lyon Métropole residents, including those facing food insecurity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Food Justice Programs

NAICS

Community Food Services (624210), Community Food Services (62421), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Community-Owned / Nonprofit Grocery Stores (CRAHALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gala, Fundraiser & Nonprofit Event Catering (THAHAKAF), Specialty & Dietary Catering (Vegan, Kosher, Halal, Allergy-Friendly) (HSACAGAH)

Keywords

• Food justice programs
• Solidarity canteen services
• Community cooking workshops
• Local food mapping
• Food sovereignty advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

La Mulatière

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Subsidies and Grants: The primary revenue stream. Bellebouffe receives operational subsidies from public bodies including Métropole de Lyon, Ville de Vénissieux, DDETS, and Lyon Métropole Habitat. These grants fund the association's core programming and staffing. In 2025, budgets totaled ~201,442 EUR in products.
2. Private Donations: Private individual and corporate donations form a significant part of the revenue mix. Donors benefit from tax deductions (66% for individuals, 60% for businesses). The association runs periodic donation campaigns (e.g., 2026 campaign with specific funding goals for each program activity). Donations are collected via HelloAsso.
3. Event Revenue (Banququet, Workshops, Festival): Revenue from event participation, particularly the Bouillon de CultureS festival and banquet events (winter banquet priced ~25,000 EUR to organize). Rencontres Gourmandes operate on a pay-what-you-can basis. Festi'Bouffe events target students.
4. Solidarity Pricing (Prix Libre / Tarifs Solidaires): The café solidaire and cantine écologique at Le Faitout generate modest revenue through a solidarity pricing model. Free meals are served to people in great precarity (1,132 free meals in 2025) while 306 reduced-price meals were sold. This stream operates below cost recovery, subsidized by grants and donations.
5. Adhesions (Membership Fees): Annual membership fees for supporters who join the association. Managed via HelloAsso.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Bellebouffe is a non-profit association that delivers food justice programs in the Lyon metropolitan area through community third-places, a solidarity canteen serving free and reduced-price meals to people in food precarity, bimonthly cooking workshops, an annual food cultures festival, and an open-source interactive map of local sustainable food access points. Activities are organized around two physical third-places (Le Faitout in La Mulatière and Plateau Ressource in Vénissieux) and operate predominantly on free or pay-what-you-can solidarity pricing.

Product overview

Bellebouffe is a non-profit association (association loi 1901) offering community programs and services centered on food justice, sustainable eating, and social solidarity in the Lyon metropolitan area. Its offerings include in-person programs (Les Rencontres Gourmandes cooking workshops, Bouillon de CultureS annual festival), digital tools (the open-source Carte Manger Local map), and two tiers-lieux community spaces (Le Faitout in La Mulatière and Plateau Ressource in Vénissieux). Programs such as Cantine Écologique et Solidaire, Mini Bouffe Power, DATA BOUFFE workshops, and the Tranches de Cake podcast complement in-person activities with food education, solidarity catering, and media outreach. These offerings work together to create a comprehensive ecosystem promoting accessible, ecological, and democratic food systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bouillon de CultureS: Annual festival celebrating the diversity of food cultures on the Lyon territory
• Rencontres Gourmandes
• Manger Local
• Mini Bouffe Power
• Plateau Ressource

Products and services

• Les Rencontres Gourmandes Bimonthly cooking workshops held at Le Faitout, open to all, where participants share recipes, cooking tips, and enjoy communal meals prepared with organic, locally-sourced ingredients in a convivial atmosphere. Free to attend (prix libre).
• Bouillon de CultureS Festival Annual festival celebrating the diversity of food cultures on the Lyon metropolitan territory, bringing together associations, residents, and food actors through cooking workshops, round tables, tastings, a market, and a participatory feast. The 2025 edition (third edition) drew 300+ participants in a single day.
• Carte Manger Local Interactive, open-source, participatory map listing 540+ locations committed to local and sustainable food in the Lyon metropolitan area, including producers, markets, bulk grocery stores, AMAPs, restaurants, and citizen initiatives. Free to use and open to community contributions.
• Le Faitout Inclusive community space in La Mulatière (12 rue Gabriel Péri) co-managed with Singa Lyon, serving as a hub for solidarity dining (café solidaire, cantine écologique et solidaire), cooking workshops, citizen debates, and food justice projects.
• Plateau Ressource à Vénissieux A 2,800 m² community food space in the Minguettes neighborhood of Vénissieux, co-managed with Graines de Bio-Divers-Cité and Le Passe Jardins, offering participatory cooking, solidarity catering, knowledge production, garden activities, podcast recording, and a monthly fresh produce market.
• Cantine Écologique et Solidaire Solidarity canteen services at Le Faitout providing free meals to people in situations of great precarity and reduced-price meals via solidarity pricing, creating social bonds and experimenting with new forms of food solidarity. In 2025, 1,132 free meals and 306 reduced-price meals were served.
• Mini Bouffe Power A program of interventions accompanying participants toward more sustainable eating through playful, participatory, and accessible formats, conducted in partnership with Le Foyer Notre-Dame des Sans-Abri (a social services organization serving people in extreme precarity).
• DATA BOUFFE An anti-food-waste awareness workshop where participants cook with recovered food waste and create culinary infographics to understand and visualize food waste data in France.
• Banquet de Noël Annual solidarity, anti-food-waste, zero-waste, and participatory Christmas banquet bringing together people in precarious situations or isolated individuals for a festive holiday meal.
• Plantothèque-Matériauthèque A project at Plateau Ressource allowing any resident to collect wood chips, potting soil, compost, and other materials for house plants, promoting resource sharing and circular economy principles.
• Tranches de Cake Podcast A participatory podcast titled 'A slice of life and food,' produced at the Plateau Ressource, where young people (children, teens, young adults) share food memories, claims, and tips. The podcast serves as both a community engagement tool and a medium for food democracy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,132 free meals and 306 reduced-price meals served in 2025 at Le Faitout
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Territoire à VivreS Grand LyoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collective of local farmers and producers selling through a digital platform that connects with food aid organizations and group purchasing groups. Bellebouffe partnered with them for farm visits (Vergers de Barbieux, Ferme de Travalon) and the Calim 8 citizen committee is experimenting with a solidarity food fund in Lyon's 8th arrondissement. Also a festival partner for Bouillon de CultureS.
• Calim 8minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Citizen committee in Lyon's 8th arrondissement experimenting with a solidarity food fund (caisse solidaire de l'alimentation) in partnership with Territoires à VivreS Grand Lyon. Two members (Isabelle Picard and Ariane Ngoune Saha) participate in the Bouillon de CultureS round table on food culpabilization, bringing lived experience of food precarity and community organizing.
• La CasalineminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Local food initiative partner collaborating on farm visit programming. Participated in the June 2026 farm visits alongside Bellebouffe, Territoire à VivreS, VRAC Lyon, Cop1, and participating residents.
• Cop1minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Local food/citizen initiative partner collaborating on farm visit programming. Participated in the June 2026 farm visits for residents of Oullins-Pierre-Bénite and La Mulatière.
• Graines de Bio-Divers-CitécoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-manager of the Plateau Ressource third-place at the Minguettes in Vénissieux. Together with Bellebouffe and Le Passe Jardins, Graines de Bio-Divers-Cité co-designs and co-animates the 2,800 m² space dedicated to sustainable food, biodiversity, and citizen participation. The partnership brings expertise in biodiversity, gardening, and environmental education to the Plateau Ressource programming.
• Le Passe JardinscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-manager of the Plateau Ressource third-place alongside Bellebouffe and Graines de Bio-Divers-Cité. Le Passe Jardins contributes expertise in gardening, plant cultivation, and garden-based pedagogy. The three organizations share responsibility for programming the Plateau Ressource and organizing seasonal celebrations and weekly activities.
• VRAC Lyon MétropolecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025VRAC (Vers un Réapprovisionnement Alimentaire Collectif) is a key partner for food distribution. A monthly dry product distribution (70+ organic, local references) runs at Le Faitout and a fresh produce market operates at Centre Social Eugénie Cotton in Vénissieux, both using a triple-tier solidarity pricing model. VRAC also partners on the Plateau Ressource and Bellebouffe's fund development campaigns.
• VoisinMalinminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Community partner supporting the Plateau Ressource project at the Minguettes. VoisinMalin connects with local residents and facilitates community engagement in the neighborhood, complementing Bellebouffe's programming at the third-place.
• Lyon Métropole Habitat (LMH)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Social housing provider with whom Bellebouffe conducted a food democracy research-action project in four lower-income neighborhoods of Oullins-Pierre-Bénite and La Mulatière. The collaboration engaged residents in identifying food challenges and co-designing solutions, resulting in 9 priority challenges and 70+ proposed actions.
• La ClocheminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Street solidarity association. Listed as a festival partner for Bouillon de CultureS 2025. La Cloche works to build connections with people experiencing homelessness and is a natural partner for Bellebouffe's food justice activities.
• Les Petites CantinesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Participatory restaurant network. Listed as a festival partner for Bouillon de CultureS 2025. The organization shares Bellebouffe's mission of fostering community meals and food connection.
• La LégumerieminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collective vegetable processing and preparation service. Festival partner for Bouillon de CultureS 2025. Also contributed to a food project at Santé Commune (Vaulx-en-Velin) referenced in the food culpabilization round table.
• Chaire Transitions Alimentaires (TrALIM)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Academic chair at Université Lyon 2 focused on food system transitions. Co-organized the table ronde on food culpabilization at Bouillon de CultureS 2025 (with animation by Marie-Amandine Vermillon). Also a partner for the first Bouillon de CultureS edition (2023) and for the Calim 8 solidarity food fund experiment.
• Habitat et Humanisme RhôneminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Social housing and integration organization. Listed as a festival partner for Bouillon de CultureS 2025 and as a structure organizing the first Bouillon de CultureS edition (2023) through its Escales Solidaires program.
• La Maison de l'Environnement (Métropole de Lyon)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Environmental resource center of Lyon Métropole. Festival partner for Bouillon de CultureS 2025, hosting a reading corner. Also an event partner for Bouillon de CultureS 2023.
• Recup et GamellesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Association fighting food waste by recovering surplus food for redistribution. Festival partner for Bouillon de CultureS 2025. Natural alignment with Bellebouffe's anti-food-waste cooking workshops and DATA BOUFFE format.
• Centre de santé communautaire Santé Commune (Vaulx-en-Velin)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Community health center co-presented by Christine De Sousa (nurse) and Céline Bruchet (general practitioner) at the Bouillon de CultureS 2025 round table. The center practices inclusive, non-pathologizing healthcare and has co-built food-related wellness projects with users, reflecting shared values around dignified access to nourishment.
• Zero Déchet LyoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Zero waste lifestyle association that co-created the Manger Local interactive map with Bellebouffe during COVID-19 (2020). The partnership combined Bellebouffe's food expertise with Zero Déchet Lyon's mapping and community-building capacity, resulting in a map that reached 49,000 visits during COVID-19 and was later relaunched as a permanent open-source tool.
• Foyer Notre-Dame des Sans-AbriminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Social services organization serving people in extreme precarity. Partner for the Mini Bouffe Power program, in which Bellebouffe runs a cycle of participatory food workshops aimed at guiding participants toward more sustainable eating in a playful, accessible format.
• Singa LyoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-founder and co-manager of Le Faitout inclusive third-place in La Mulatière. Singa Lyon specializes in welcoming and integrating migrants and refugees. The partnership with Bellebouffe creates a shared space for hospitality, food justice, and social connection, combining Singa's migration support expertise with Bellebouffe's food democracy approach.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BelleBouffe.lyon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bellebouffe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Bellebouffe