There are now hundreds of grocery stores and retailers that are implementing programs in order to stop food waste. In order to improve the dialogue with consumers, Ubifood was launched as a mobile application that gives retailer a chance to sell perfectly good surplus food at discounted prices, rather than throwing out leftovers at the end of the day.
Billions of dollars worth of food ends up in landfills each year, but this app creates a great opportunity for cost-conscious consumers and retailers who share an interest in the environment. When it comes to searching the app, users are able to find food listings by geo-location, or by browsing the 'Sweet' or 'Savory' tabs.
As of now, Ubifood operates in Montreal in partnership with local bakeries, cafes, restaurants and even a few organic food stores.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Food-rescuing Apps
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop an app that connects food rescue organizations with restaurants and cafes to minimize food waste.
- Reducing Food Waste
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create a technology that tracks expiry dates on food items to help retailers and consumers optimize food usage and reduce waste.
- Geo-location-based Food Listings
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Build a platform that uses location data to connect consumers with local retailers offering discounts on surplus food.
Where This Applies
- Grocery
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Introduce a digital platform for grocery stores to sell surplus food products at discounted prices, reducing waste and increasing revenue.
- Food Retail
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop an online marketplace where retailers can sell near-expiry or surplus food items to consumers at discounted rates.
- Restaurant
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create a reservation app for restaurants that offers a 'food waste menu' with discounted prices on surplus food items for customers to choose from.
