Haricoco is about: Enjoyment – Ecology – Collaboration
Haricoco was founded in 2018 by Nicole Schoofs.
After she finished an inspiring vegan cooking course in Bath (UK), she knew there was a way to improve our food system, while enjoying the good life and being mindful of our planet.
Even though at that moment the road was not exactly clear, the first steps were taken.
Now, in 2025 all the various activities, interests and skills come together in the French pink city Toulouse.
A few words from Nicole
For over 20 years I have been active in the tourism & hospitality industry in multiple countries and on multiple continents. I love working with people but even more so if it involves good food & tasty drinks, or in general good produce. Basically a foodie who wants to share the finer things in life, while continuously creatively evolving my path!
In 2018 I completed a vegan-chef diploma course in the U.K. In 2021 I became a qualified wine professional. I have now become officially a lacto-fermentation addict!
I am focusing on the beautiful world of ‘cooking with microbes’ (aka fermentation). Being introduced to the collaboration between microbes and us, it is like all my former interests and education have suddenly come together. Fermentation was the missing piece of my puzzle.
And why plant based? In recent years the environmental situation and our necessary response has become ever more important and more urgent. Eating plant-based is the most easy and most enjoyable way to reduce our personal carbon footprint.
I love to cook fresh, local and seasonal, with lots of fresh herbs, and spices. I introduce lacto-fermented vegetables into my dishes which adds beautiful layers of complex acidity. I try to use a zero-waste policy in my kitchen, which became easier since I started fermenting. I am always curious, and always searching for new sustainable ways of cooking and managing a kitchen.
Even though I mostly eat plant based food, I am not fully vegan. With my project I want to show that eating plant based is not a sacrifice, even for foodies. A plant based meal can be as delicious as any other!
Not what we have but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance.
Enjoyment is an important part of Haricoco’s philosophy
Ecology – enjoying our produce while keeping our planet in mind.
Understanding the collaboration between our food and the local microorganisms and our bodies makes everything fall in place. They are entirely harmonious. We try to re-connect with our produce and its environment. The micro organisms, and our local community. Connection and collaboration are integrated within our concept, we hope to share this with our local communities.
In 2022 around 132 kg of food waste per inhabitant were generated in the EU.
Households generated 54% of food waste, accounting for 72 kg per inhabitant. The remaining 46% was waste generated upwards in the food supply chain.
I think we all agree that these figures are unacceptable. More than 50% of food waste comes from households, so this is a great opportunity to make a difference as an individual. If we learn from our ancestors, we can conserve seasonal surplus without the need of large cooling chambers. By sharing the practice of fermentation, Haricoco hopes to empower people to make this difference.