Greenman successfully organised the fourth event of its project “Beezdorf Kitchen” at Berlin’s Fuchsberg elementary school. The educational program, initiated by Greenman, aims to educate children around the topic and benefits of sustainable food production, supply, and growing their own food. From May 23rd to 25th, Greenman’s vertical farming joint-venture Potager Farm, in collaboration with the association Kate e.V, organised the program “learning to snack climate-friendly,” which is supported by the Berlin Senate.

During the event, school children from grades 3 to 6 had the opportunity to engage in various activities and research at different stations on the school grounds, focusing on topics such as seasonality, regional food, packaging, soil, water, and CO2 footprint. Approximately 225 elementary school children participated in the event and explored questions such as: Why is the virtual water of our food an important aspect of climate justice? Which food has the largest CO2 footprint? And what happens to the packaging?

In the previous events held in February, March, and April, the children learned a lot about plant cultivation, care, harvesting techniques, and the journey of food from farm to store. They planted vegetables and herbs in school beds, set up a miniature version of a vertical farm with seedlings, harvested their self-grown herbs, and subsequently prepared their own dishes. Further events are planned throughout the year.

John Wilkinson, CEO of Greenman, emphasises, “At Greenman, we lay great importance to ensuring that our funds align with the ESG guidelines, particularly focusing on social projects. The significance of the Beezdorf Kitchen initiative lies in educating and raising awareness among young people, as less than 25% of school children receive nutrition education. We see it as our responsibility to show them opportunities for living more sustainably to protect the environment in the long term.”

Beezdorf Kitchen is a project funded by Greenman and its fund OPEN, operating under the Beezdorf brand. This educational initiative conducts events, informative workshops, and competitions in the catchment areas of Greenman OPEN retail centres to raise awareness among children about responsible and sustainable resource management, environmental conservation, and the importance of bees for biodiversity. Beezdorf collaborates with food retailers, local nutrition consultants, educational institutions, and nonprofit organisations such as Berliner Tafel e.V., as well as with authorities, communities, and regional food providers.