Profile of an Even’Up award winner

EVEN | Kolectou, "don't waste the crumbs!"

Meet Kolectou, the Even’up award-winning waste reduction start-up. It all began in 2016 at Agrocampus Ouest in Rennes. Two young agrifood students, Emma and Noémie, were working on the issue of food waste. They chose to focus on an iconic French food which is also one of the most wasted: bread. Some 15% of the total production is thrown away each year in France (Source: Ademe, 2016).

This sparked the idea behind the Kolectou project based on the innovative concept of recycling surplus bread from companies in north-west France, with the ultimate aim of expanding nationwide. Their solution: producing cakes in which up to 75% of the flour is replaced with recycled bread powder. How? Surplus bread is collected and ground into bread powder. This powder is then mixed with other raw dry ingredients (such as sugar, baking powder, etc.) to make delicious ready-to-bake cake mixes to wage war on waste. With support from Agrocampus Ouest's cafeteria managers, Emma and Noémie tested their first recipes. Six months and two tonnes of recycled bread later, the first range of cake mixes dubbed "TADAAM !" was launched. This range comprises three products: a sweet muffin/sponge cake mix, a cookie mix and a savoury cake mix.

In May 2017, the student project Kolectou morphed into a start-up. Currently marketed towards the catering sector, the "TADAAM !" products will soon be directly available to consumers. Even was impressed by the quality of Kolectou's cakes but more importantly by their commitment towards food waste reduction. From bakers to consumers, via restaurant managers, Kolectou is creating a buzz around the question of waste minimisation through communication and positive energy.

Emma and Noémie are very excited about working with the Even Group. They are hoping to gain support in relation to sales, logistics and recruitment aspects. In need of office space for their administrative tasks, they are now based on the premises of Paviot, one of the Group's subsidiaries and a distributor specialised in the bakery sector. New synergies are in the making! And to make sure you get every last drop, click here to watch the Kolectou video!