Pingo Doce fed the 2023 World Youth Day

World Youth Day was the biggest event Portugal has ever hosted, involving 25,000 volunteers and several months of preparation. Attended by one and a half million people and with more than 300,000 registered pilgrims from 50 countries, Lisbon was the epicentre of faith and joy.

Those were glory days. Waving the flags of their countries with pride, singing out loud in the streets and smiling each step of the way, the pilgrims’ energy was so compelling it was almost palpable. From the small local events taking place all over the country to the main events hosted in the capital city, excitement was all around.

Although faith can be sustenance, every pilgrimage needs another source of energy – a more tangible one. Pingo Doce was the 2023 World Youth Day official food partner, which means it was serving its fresh food at the main venues and helping prepare the pilgrim kits and more general meal kits. Stocks were replenished at stores and opening hours extended. Sustainability played a key role, with the ECO filtered water bottle being part of the pilgrim kits, allowing them to refill the reusable plastic bottles for free.

Throughout the first week of August 2023, the Pingo Doce tents occupied four strategic locations in the city of Lisbon – Belém, Terreiro do Paço, Avenida da Liberdade and Parque Tejo. From morning until late night, and with the help of more than 300 volunteer employees, around 190,000 pilgrim kits were distributed and over 22,000 meals were sold. At the Vigil, the last and most awaited event of World Youth Day, taking place between Saturday and Sunday in Parque Tejo, a huge operation with 89 galleys was set up to distribute 400,000 meal kits.

400,000

meal kits donated to the pilgrims at the Vigil.