This is the slogan of on.perfekt, a Luxembourg initiative that is committed to offering fair and creative solutions to food waste.
This cooperative was set up in 2020 after we realised that some of the fruit and vegetables we produce are not sent to our sales outlets for cosmetic reasons. Many fresh products are subject to aesthetic standards. Potatoes that are too small, twisted carrots or damaged packaging may be thrown away if they don’t meet food market standards. But imperfection is no barrier to consumption, and that’s the message from on.perfekt, which is reclaiming the value of these neglected foods.
On.perfekt offers a number of solutions to this problem. From a temporary market, the cooperative now has its own shop in Marnach (open 4 days a week) and offers home deliveries of seasonal and regional fruit and vegetable baskets. The shop doesn’t just sell fruit and vegetables. It is also possible to buy dairy products, tea and other foodstuffs considered imperfect and therefore ‘unsaleable’ by the food market for various reasons.
Behind the scenes, behind the colourful flags of their shop, the members of the on.perfekt cooperative are working to weave a web of solidarity and commitment. “On.perfekt is a project for society,” explains Estelle, an on.perfekt employee and member of the cooperative, “Food concerns everyone because everyone has to eat. So it’s important for us to have a large number of members involved in the decision-making process. As well as taking part in decision-making, members can offer their time to the cause by helping out in the shop, but also by taking part in the harvest directly in their partners’ fields.
on.perfekt also supports local and regional producers by offering them fair solutions to avoid wasting their surpluses and by visiting them to harvest their produce. Fairness is a core value of this project, which strives for dialogue with its partners in order to reach agreements that benefit all parties.
As well as reducing food waste, on.perfekt aims to raise awareness of surplus food. The cooperative has organised workshops in schools, at the agricultural fair and also at the University of Luxembourg. On.perfekt wants to expand its awareness-raising branch to lift the curtain on the surpluses generated by our food system.
Transparency and information are the vehicles used to get their message across to consumers, with the help of the SIS label. “The SIS gives us visibility and credibility. Consumers can only make informed decisions, but not everyone has the time or the opportunity to find all the relevant information, especially with the green-washing that goes on these days. The SIS is a sign of confidence. It tells consumers that our cause is fair, verified and controlled, and that we respect the values of the label,” says Estelle.
At the end of 2021, on.perfekt was awarded the Social Impact Company (SIS) label for its dedicated work against food waste. “The primary aim of our project is to have a societal impact, and the SIS enables us to get this message across to the general public,” comments Estelle. “There’s no question of us making a profit. On.perfekt has no owner. Our cause is our boss.
This visibility will give on.perfekt the opportunity to develop its projects and diversify its activities. As well as raising awareness, the cooperative wants to increase its community of active members and improve the way it delivers its vegetable baskets. On.perfekt also aims to expand its range of partners, including wholesalers, retail outlets, producers and all those involved in the food industry who encounter surpluses in their working lives.
Anyone can become a member of this committed cooperative by sending a message to moien@onperfekt.lu. Their shop selling ‘imperfect’ products is located at 9 Maarbuergerstroos in the Nordstrooss Shopping Mile. It is open from Thursday to Saturday and Mondays from 9am to 6pm.
