Running a Food Surplus Cafe

Food Surplus Cafes are events which use food that would otherwise be wasted.  Instead, it is cooked up to create a wholesome meal and served in a café style setting. Food Surplus cafés are taking place around the country and although they all have similar objectives, each has its own style and frequency. In some places, people have set up daily food surplus cafes, in others they are monthly, or they may be pop-up events.

Our guide will help you consider and plan all the key elements to a successful event, including:

• A well-chosen and well set-up venue
• Risk assessments and keeping people safe
• A team of well managed volunteers who are confident and clear in their roles.
• Great marketing and publicity to draw people in.
• Sourced food and good menu planning
• Ways to gather simple evaluation feedback.

CAG Devon risk assessments are updated regularly to reflect current changes regarding volunteering and running events during the pandemic. Templates are available for you to customise to your own event.

Please refer to the CAG Devon team for up-to-date guidance on running events during the Covid-19 pandemic, once lockdown has been lifted. Also look at the government website https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus for the latest information what you can and can’t do regarding running events/working in the community whilst the threat of Covid-19 remains.