The FoodLoops project established cooperation among schools, caterers (SMEs), farmers, and professionals in the circular economy to improve biowaste separation at source, prevent excessive food waste, and reuse it as organic compost.

Food waste was a significant issue across the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). Large amounts of food were wasted annually — with over 50 kg per capita in Lithuania and 4.8 million tons in Poland. Schools played a crucial role in addressing this challenge, as they were major venues where substantial volumes of food waste were generated. For example, in Finland, around 17% of the food prepared in school canteens was wasted, and 11.3% of the waste occurred during meal serving. Similarly, schools in Poland and Lithuania also faced major challenges with food waste. Closing the food waste loop in school food value chains held strong economic potential, particularly by valorising food waste and converting it into valuable products such as compost.

The project improved waste separation at the source in schools and canteens, which facilitated better management and reduction of bio-waste. FoodLoops designed initiatives that promoted waste separation at the school canteen level and contributed to educational purposes by engaging students and staff as key actors in waste reduction. By increasing the demand for bio-waste-based fertilizers, the project supported farmers in utilizing organic waste as a valuable resource, promoting more sustainable agricultural practices. For stakeholders involved in waste management, the project encouraged inclusive governance, building consensus, improving acceptance, and strengthening community participation in waste sorting.

At the heart of FoodLoops was a practical and hands-on learning approach. In Gdańsk, Poland, students at Primary School No. 61 became pioneers of circularity through a composting pilot, transforming food scraps into nutrient-rich compost used to fertilize their school gardens. Similar initiatives were implemented in Finland, Lithuania, and Germany, demonstrating that systemic change could begin at the local level.

To foster collaboration and scale up results, the project developed and implemented several key outputs:

1. Manual on Local Cooperation for Circular Bio-Waste:

   This manual served as a practical guide to strengthen cooperation among stakeholders within local food waste value chains. It improved understanding of stakeholder motivations, identified shared goals, and proposed joint solutions. Drawing from pilot experiences, the manual provided case studies, highlighted challenges and solutions, and offered step-by-step guidance for implementing circular bio-waste systems.

2. Workshops for Co-Developing Solution Pathways:

   The project organized local and transnational workshops to build trust and cooperation among municipalities, schools, farmers, and caterers. These workshops encouraged co-creation of practical solutions to reduce food waste and improve bio-waste management.

3. Replication and Scaling of Solutions:

   FoodLoops facilitated the replication of successful models across the Baltic Sea Region. Through training sessions and replication workshops — including one in Wuppertal, Germany — the project enabled external stakeholders to adapt its methodologies to their local contexts. These workshops led to the creation of local action plans, such as the “Circular Food Round Table” in Wuppertal, which continues to foster cooperation among schools, municipalities, and farmers.

Throughout its implementation, the project adopted an adaptive management approach, combining online formats with in-person study visits to composting and biogas facilities in Lithuania and Italy. This approach helped maintain engagement, build trust, and deepen dialogue among partners.

FoodLoops also maximized its impact through collaboration with other European initiatives such as LIFE BIOBEST, HOOP, Circular FoodShift, CHORIZO, and StratKIT+, aligning its outcomes with broader EU bioeconomy and behavioral research frameworks.

By the end of the project, FoodLoops had not only created a network of motivated partners but also produced lasting results. The project demonstrated that when municipal representatives, farmers, teachers, and students work together, systemic change becomes possible. The student-led composting pilots continued to thrive, the FoodLoops Manual remained a blueprint for replication, and the cooperation structures established during the project continued beyond its lifetime.

In essence, FoodLoops proved that the future of the circular economy can begin with something as simple — and as powerful — as a school meal.