The employees of the Spar supermarket operated by Caritas in Vienna
The employees of the Spar supermarket operated by Caritas in Vienna

Meals prepared in the supermarket using food rejects

The kitchen facility financed by Kremsmüller For Life is working wonders

Back in December 2019, Kremsmüller offered its support to a very special social project, which has now finally been implemented.

This project involved sponsoring a Spar supermarket run by the Caritas charity in the heart of Vienna. Kremsmüller undertook to provide the entire furnishings for a catering kitchen.

As a result, several jobs have been created for a number of long-term unemployed registered with the AMS (Austrian Public Employment Service), and these are now able to return to the world of work. Food is prepared from ingredients that would otherwise have been thrown away. For a modest sum, healthy and tasty food can now be purchased directly from the INIGO supermarket.

Kremsmüller financed the entire construction of the catering kitchen, beginning with the planning process, the electrical installations including an efficient ventilation system, through to remodelling and installing the kitchen furniture, as well as the kitchen utensils. The last few remaining euros were used to purchase sustainable containers to pack the meals before handing them over to the customers.

Ms. Reingruber from Caritas comments: “We are delighted that we have been able to implement this project in such a way. Not only has it been possible to reintegrate the unemployed, we can now also address various sustainability issues. We have significantly reduced spoilage at both locations, and clients and staff alike are pleased that they can enjoy tasty and healthy lunches from Monday to Friday. Many thanks to Kremsmüller for their support. Without it, we wouldn’t have been able to implement this project!”

Head chef Nuriye Turan is also passionate about the project. “The project makes me very happy because I can see how much food is “saved” and creatively transformed into delicious meals,” she says in the interview.

Depending on what ingredients are available at any given moment, a suitable dish is prepared spontaneously. The influences of Turkish cuisine are clearly evident, and the quality and taste of the dishes are beyond reproach.

The following video gives an impression of this particularly sustainable social project supported by Kremsmüller For Life.