Központi Vásárcsarnok, a famous market hall in Budapest
Budapest will receive USD 1 million and operational support for the implementation of a new urban food distribution model, the Capital Processing Center, which processes unsold vegetables and fruits generated in the capital’s markets that are suitable for consumption and utilization, according to the Mayor’s Office.
Budapest was among the top 24 winners of the Bloomberg Philanthropies 2025-2026 Mayors Challenge. The competition aims to encourage innovation in local governments and improve public services.
“Food prices in Budapest have risen by 81 percent in six years, which is the highest increase among EU countries, making it increasingly difficult to provide affordable, healthy, and varied menus in public catering.
At the same time, up to 135,000 tons of fresh fruit and vegetables remain unsold each year in markets operated by the Budapest Metropolitan Municipality. This practice is unsustainable from both an environmental and social perspective, as on the one hand we are wasting valuable resources, and on the other hand, disadvantaged social groups are unable to access healthy and nutritious food.
With the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ 2025-2026 Mayors Challenge, we have the opportunity to find a solution to this situation,” said Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony in a statement.
The 24 award-winning cities represent 20 countries, with winners including Barcelona, Belfast, Cape Town, Fez, Fukuoka, Ghent, Lafayette, Medellín, Rio de Janeiro, Toronto, Turku, and Visakhapatnam.
In the coming months, Budapest will begin a two-year program to process unsold but edible and usable fruits and vegetables into ready-to-use or partially prepared foods.
The Budapest Metropolitan Government operates nearly twenty nursing homes and numerous other social institutions, while the Catering Service Management Organization (ÉSZGSZ), which provides school meals, serves more than 16,000 students and nearly 2,000 adults up to three meals a day through nearly 100 kitchens, serving more than 1.7 million meals.
The challenge has been supporting urban innovation for more than ten years.
The five rounds to date have provided 38 cities with resources and professional support to implement solutions targeting the population, many of which have now brought measurable improvements in quality of life to 337 cities and 100 million residents, based on the announcement.
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Via MTI; Featured photo: Pixabay
The post Budapest’s Food Rescue Program Wins Major International Grant appeared first on Hungary Today.
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