This project, promoted jointly by T-Systems and Mercabarna, facilitates the distribution of food to the most vulnerable groups.

During the first 10 days in which the T-Mercabarna Solidària application was in operation (from 14th to 24th April), the wholesale market companies involved in the project donated 12,000 kilos of food to the Red Cross. This project, promoted jointly by T-Systems and Mercabarna, allows surplus food to be distributed to the most vulnerable groups, and it is expected that in one month they will be able to distribute more than 30,000 kilos of food.

The companies Hermanos Fernández, Gavà Grup and Fruites i Hortalisses Flores are already collaborating with the project, providing products on a regular basis, in addition to the TAE transport company, which is undertaking the logistics and transport completely free of charge. Other firms have joined in by making some specific contributions (Escandell, Fruits Ràfols, Morales e Hijos and the El Prat Agricultural Cooperative) and some other companies are expected to join soon (Germans Barri and Grup Cano). Throughout this period, mainly oranges, bananas, apples, strawberries, potatoes, onions, tomatoes and artichokes have been provided free of charge.

The key to success

In order to streamline the process of delivering the food to the most vulnerable groups, whose number has significantly increased during the current health crisis, Mercabarna and T-Systems organised a 24-hour meeting of programmers and members of the wholesale market management on an altruistic basis. This initiative gave rise to the T-Mercabarna Solidària application, enabling food distribution companies to link up with the social entities and thus simplify the entire process.

Fresh products are much more difficult to manage due to their short shelf life and the complex handling process. Their distribution must therefore be faster and more carefully organised. With the new app, the Mercabarna companies provide information on the products they can donate to the Red Cross by 10:00 am so that the charity can select the products and plan how they will be distributed. The same application links up with the transport company so that the food reaches the Red Cross warehouses by 5:00 pm on the same day.

The application also displays the amounts and the space occupied by the food, information that enables both the carrier and the Red Cross to organise the transport and the subsequent storage.