Niederwieser’s collaboration with Food for Soul began in 2024, almost by chance. Sabine Niederwieser, Co-CEO of the group and member of the board of directors, tells the story: “I was watching TV and they were talking about how to tackle food waste by cooking for people in need. They mentioned the Food for Soul initiative, so I decided to look it up.”

Food for Soul is the non-profit organization founded by chef Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore following the experience of EXPO Milan 2015. During international events on the scale of the Expo, the risk of food waste is extremely high, making it essential to find a solution. Food for Soul is committed to giving new value to ingredients destined to be wasted, transforming them into meals to be shared with people living in vulnerable situations in the Refettorios — spaces where everyone is warmly welcomed, places that feel like family and embody beauty and care.

Over the past 10 years, Food for Soul has supported the opening of 12 Refettorios around the world. In Modena, the project first began in 2017 and closed in 2020, before reopening in March 2024 as Refettorio Modena, which today is the only Refettorio managed directly by Food for Soul.

Attention to detail to make every guest feel special.

What sets Food for Soul apart from similar projects is that its goal is not only to nourish the body, but also the soul. In the Refettorios, art and beauty define the spaces, and the table is always set impeccably, with extraordinary attention to detail, so that every guest feels respected and special.

A network of volunteers works on the project, offering their time to collect ingredients, prepare meals in the kitchen, and serve at the table.

But what is most surprising is the menu: always different, never predictable, never ordinary. “One thing I really like is that the project does not rely on just one chef for each Refettorio: they also invite chefs from restaurants, and the menu is constantly changing, offering unusual dishes. You are not simply there to serve pasta to fill people up, but also to offer them a special dish they might otherwise never have had the chance to taste.”

It is as if everyone can contribute and play their part in a greater shared project that nourishes both the body and soul of those in need. Massimo Bottura himself, the driving force and founder of the project, often stops by to greet the guests and offer his contribution, a sign of genuine and personal involvement. In fact, the kitchen doors are open to everyone working in the food sector who wishes to collaborate and organize four-hands dinners together with the resident chefs of the Refettorios.

More food preserved, less food wasted.

“That day I wrote an email to Refettorio Modena to tell them that we would have liked to support them, since they collect food that then often needs to be packaged and stored for a few days,” and it was almost a magical moment: at that very time, the association was looking for a solution to preserve the recovered ingredients. So the partnership was born immediately: whenever Food for Soul needs vacuum bags for food preservation, they know they can rely on Niederwieser.

The association operates globally and, in Europe, is present in major cities including Paris, Milan, Bologna, Naples, Modena, London, and Geneva. Niederwieser therefore became a supporter of Food for Soul by supplying vacuum bags to all Refettorios in Europe that need them.

Volunteers for a day at Refettorio Modena

The collaboration began this way, but it went even further: Eleonora Peia, co-director of Food for Soul, invited Sabine to actively participate in the evenings organized at Refettorio Modena together with her employees, just as other local companies do. The proposal was reviewed and presented within the company, and since then many employees have joined.

“During the first evening we participated in, we were a group of five people from Niederwieser. The experience left us deeply moved. Personally, it was very meaningful because people opened up, spoke with us, and you could understand how many small problems can push someone into crisis.”

Sabine continues sharing her impressions and experiences, using the expression “a reality check,” which clearly conveys the everyday reality faced by Food for Soul’s guests and the reasons that bring them there — to share a meal and a moment of togetherness.

“After that first meeting, we went out for a beer and talked, and everyone was very happy and left with a really positive feeling: the feeling of having given something back to society.”

Niederwieser and Food for Soul: a collaboration that continues.

Niederwieser has continued its collaboration with Food for Soul since 2024. From the first shy participation of office staff, now employees working in the warehouse and production have also stepped forward, and many employees take part in the evenings in Modena. Their feedback is always positive: making themselves available for such a project makes them feel useful and shows how even small gestures can create meaningful change.

The company will therefore continue supporting the project, as a way to encourage doing good.

Refettorio Modena’s goal for 2026 is to reach 10 tonnes of donated and recovered ingredients in order to support 122 opening evenings and as many dinners offered to guests. Niederwieser will continue to be present, supporting the cause with an annual donation to the project’s fundraising campaign, the supply of vacuum bags for food preservation, and the participation of employee volunteers.

This beautiful experience can be summed up by Niederwieser’s company claim, “Preserving what nourishes us”: the essence of Niederwieser products is precisely to protect and preserve food, extend its shelf life, and reduce food waste. In this sense, the collaboration with Food for Soul feels written in the stars and could not be more tangible: helping preserve food within a project that prevents waste and nourishes both body and soul.

**The cover photo is by Sofia Dalcò.
https://www.instagram.com/sofia_dalco/ — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofia-dalco/