“Donation” because dozens of tons of food not consumed during the Paris 2024 Games were offered to associations

110 tonnes of food were redistributed to 3 food associations. Throughout the Games, collections took place every day to recover unserved meals.

The Paris Games ended on Sunday, September 8. 13 million meals were served, but every day, there was food left undistributed. Collection rounds were therefore organized and three associations – which had signed an agreement with the COJO in advance – benefited from these donations: the Restos du Cœur, the Chaînon disparu and the Food Banks. A godsend for the most deprived.

Starred chef Thierry Marx is delighted with this gesture: “We must not forget the sad figures, namely millions of people in need of food aid, and these donations have done a great deal of good to the organisations that really need them.”

Grégoire Béchu, sustainable food and operational planning project manager at the Paris 2024 Games Organizing Committee, explains that a wide variety of products were offered, from full meals to sandwiches, fruit and yogurts. “We worked with the associations so that everyone could come with vehicles to the right place and at the right time. The system was complex but it made it possible to collect food everywhere, late in the evening or early in the morning.”

Thierry Marx is not surprised that 110 tons of food were not consumed during these Games. As in the management of a restaurant, you have to plan a little wider to really meet the demand, in this case the ecosystem around the athletes: “You can never get it right down to the gram. In reality, everything was extremely well organised and managed and the food was excellent. I ate in the Olympic Village. Honestly, hats off!”