Veronamercato confirms itself as a strategic infrastructure not only for the economy but also for the city's social fabric, consolidating initiatives ranging from food recovery to the education of young people.
Foremost is the success of the Rebus project (Recupero Eccedenze Beni Utilizzabili Solidalmente), promoted by Acli Verona in synergy with Veronamercato, which achieved extraordinary numbers in 2025. In fact, 594,850 kilograms of high-quality food products were recovered, saved from waste and destined to help over 20,000 people in difficulty through a network of 40 charitable organizations in the area.
This model was recognized by Asvis among the 40 best national practices for sustainable development, becoming a point of reference for the national Acli, which intend to replicate it in other Italian provinces. The system guarantees high safety and traceability standards validated by Ulss 9 and allows donor companies to benefit from Tari tax relief.
In addition to fruits and vegetables, the network has expanded its scope to include canteens, pharmacies, and even airlines, recovering up to 150 liters of liquid products and 7,051 packages of non-food items.
But Veronamercato's commitment to the community is also reflected in its attention to the younger generations, recently celebrated with the award ceremony of the 7th edition of 'Fruit & Veg Class'. The initiative, part of the 'Fruit at school - the 5 colors of well-being' campaign, aims to promote conscious consumption of fruit and vegetables through the senses.
The numbers of the 2025-2026 edition confirm the project's roots, with 23 primary school classes involved for a total of 423 participants. In 19 years of activity, Veronamercato has welcomed a total of 12,000 students and teachers.
As for this year's jury awards, the first prize of 250 euros was awarded to class 3B of the Vigasio primary school, followed by the second prize of 200 euros to the 4th grade class of the Aportiane San Giuseppe primary school in Verona, and the third prize of 150 euros to the 4th grade class of the Nereo Merighi primary school in Novaglie.
President Marco Dallamano and General Manager Paolo Merci emphasized how these practical workshops, where children create fruit and vegetable finger foods, represent a fundamental health prevention action in the area.
All these activities converge in the 2025 sustainability report, published for the second consecutive year to illustrate the results achieved in environmental, social, and governance areas. The economic data show a notable impact: in 2025, each euro invested generated over 6.11 euros in social benefits, with a total social value exceeding 200,000 euros.
On the environmental front, Veronamercato has completed important interventions related to the Pnrr for energy efficiency, aiming to achieve full autonomy by 2027 thanks to an annual production of 3,000,000 kWh of energy. Waste management also shows excellent performance, with a recycling rate reaching 74.7%. Finally, the document emphasizes training through collaboration with the ITS Academy Agroalimentare, which has internal classrooms and laboratories to prepare specialized technicians in quality control, creating a direct bridge between the school world and supply chain companies.
