SÃO PAULO, Dec. 3, 2025 — On Wednesday, December 3, the City of São Paulo achieved GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS
recognition for operating the world’s most extensive municipal food security program, becoming the inaugural city globally to be honored in this category. This accomplishment establishes the São Paulo model as an international benchmark, acknowledging the state capital’s sustained public policy dedicated to ensuring consistent and dignified food access for its population. The record was confirmed after a Guinness audit verified the distribution of 933.8 metric tons of food within a 24-hour period. The City of São Paulo provides over 3 million meals daily.
São Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes accepted the Guinness certificate from adjudicator Camila Borenstain, who attended the ceremony in Paraisópolis, a low-income community located in the city’s southern region. The World Health Organization considers food security to be a fundamental human right.
The municipal food security network encompasses ready-made meals, fresh produce, and essential food baskets. For the official record verification, a significant mobilization took place on what was termed “Food Security D Day” on November 25, involving more than 5,600 collection points throughout the city and 1,500 individuals deployed on the streets.
Upon receiving the certificate from the Guinness World Records’ official representative, Mayor Ricardo Nunes emphasized that this moment demonstrates São Paulo’s profound commitment to solidarity, hospitality, and caring for its residents. “This achievement means a lot. Only those who have experienced hunger know what I’m talking about; only those who have seen someone going hungry understand the importance of a robust food program,” he stated.
“Today, December 3, it is an honor to evaluate this record attained by the city of São Paulo: the largest municipal public food security program,” remarked Guinness adjudicator Camila Borenstain.
Key Programs
The primary programs factored into this recognition include the initiative that distributes school meals, supplying up to five meals daily to over 1 million students within the municipal school system. For early childhood, 325,000 children enrolled in early childhood education receive milk delivered to their homes each month.
To directly address social vulnerability, the City of São Paulo distributes a total of 421,000 staple food baskets monthly through its Cestas Básicas (Staple Food Baskets) and Cidade Solidária (Solidary City) programs.
The network also features Bom Prato Paulistano (Good São Paulo Food), offering 7,000 affordable daily meals, in addition to Rede Cozinha Escola (School Kitchen Network), which provides 26,000 meals daily and vocational training, and Rede Cozinha Cidadã (Citizen Kitchen Network), distributing 15,000 daily meals in the city’s peripheral areas.
These efforts are further enhanced by Armazéns Solidários (Solidary Warehouses), which provide discounts of up to 50% on essential food items for individuals registered with the CadÚnico program, and Banco de Alimentos (Food Bank), which donates 55 metric tons of products each month to social institutions.
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