How a Danish food initiative is transforming lives

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Dan takes a deep breath before he speaks, “Having access to food is extremely important to me. Not only because I need food to survive, but also because getting my basic needs covered gives me a sense of security.” Dan, age 34, speaks from experience. Currently experiencing homeless in Copenhagen, Denmark, he knows how it feels to go hungry, to not have food available on a regular basis. But Dan’s story is one of hope, showing how reliable food access can transform lives.

Dan’s renewed sense of security is thanks, in part, to the work of JunkFood. This Danish not-for-profit organisation works directly with homeless shelters and drop-in centres to provide people experiencing homelessness in the capital with regular access to hot, nutritious meals.

Providing warm food for all

JunkFood was born from an idea that came to Rasmus Munk, a well-known Michelin-starred chef, during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020. “I had been used to working 16- or 17-hour shifts and suddenly had so much time on my hands,” says Rasmus. “There was a need for food for the homeless in Copenhagen. It’s always been part of my philosophy to try and make a difference.”
 
Munk enlisted other chefs and food professionals to help him in this initiative, which fast proved a success. Since 2020, JunkFood has grown significantly. The project currently produces around 300-350 warm, nourishing meals daily.^[1] 
 
It’s the testimonies of people like Dan who benefit from JunkFood’s services that best demonstrate the project’s transformative power. For Christina, daily access to hot, good quality food has brought a sense of relief. It’s allowed her to “function better and think more clearly.” Watch the video below to hear more stories about the positive impact of the organisation’s work.

A commitment to sustainability

In addition to providing people crucial support, the project also plays a part in reducing food waste and boosting sustainability. 40 per cent of the food that JunkFood uses comes from surplus food supplies^[2] , including from Denmark’s national foodbank Foedevarebanken. In 2023 alone, JunkFood received 55 tonnes of surplus food, the equivalent of 137,500 meals.^[3]  The project also uses locally sourced, and in-season produce where possible. These combined efforts are why the organisation was awarded an EMBLA, Nordic food award in 2021.

JunkFood is eager to continue building on this success. The project is currently expanding, and recently moved to a new space with a larger storage capacity. That means it can stock more food, prepare more delicious meals and in turn, help transform even more lives.
 
Perhaps Mohamed, who enjoys JunkFood’s hot meals, put it best: “it’s wonderful that someone felt like doing so much for others.”
 
Oak Foundation Denmark is proud to support the work of JunkFood and its efforts to help vulnerable populations, promote sustainability and reduce food waste. Find out more about its work here. Find out more about JunkFood here, and about Foedevarebanken here. 

References:

[1] https://emblafoodaward.com/2021/junkfood/
[2] https://junkfood.dk/
[3] To check, statistic taken from email brief.