Food to Save, a Brazilian food tech startup, is expected to surpass $13 million in revenue this year, according to The Brazilian Report.
Since its founding in May 2021, it has expanded throughout Brazil, helping restaurants and markets sell their surplus food, delivering food to users for cheap and ultimately saving 4 million tons of food from going to waste.
In a world where food waste is all too common, apps like Food to Save are offering unique solutions.
How does Food to Save save food?
Food to Save delivers surplus products from restaurants, bakeries, markets and other food-related business to its customers, according to Startups. Customers receive a “surprise” bag of safe-to-eat foods — discounted up to 70%.
The app is meant to address the issue of food waste in Brazil, where around 20 million tons of safe-to-eat food are trashed every year, according to a 2024 survey from the United Nations.
Safe-to-eat surplus food is food that might not have sold before its best-by date or food that is visually damaged but still safe to eat, according to Second Harvest.
Even as tons of food goes to waste, Brazilian authorities estimate that 27 million citizens are food insecure, per the United Nations survey.
“We want to draw society’s attention to this very important issue,” said Lucas Infante, a co-founder and CEO of Food to Save, according to Startups. “Our great challenge is to reeducate Brazilians to have more conscious consumption habits and not waste food. Changing the consumer’s mindset to understand that a surplus product is different from the leftovers.”
Food to Save has seen success in the past three years. Not only does it generate thousands of dollars in revenue for its partners — which include Pizza Hut, Duckbill and Dengo Chocolates, a Brazilian candy company — but it has expanded to service businesses and consumers in cities all across Brazil, from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro, per Startups. Its rising profits indicate a rising number of users who help prevent food waste in Brazil.
How to help the environment by eating surplus food
Apps like Food to Save can help you find surplus food from restaurants and markets at discounts. Not only do these apps help prevent food waste, but they also save your money and your supplier’s money.
- Too Good to Go: This app serves cities in 17 countries, according to Planet Detroit. Signing up for the app lets you order surplus food at a discount from businesses near you. Like Food to Save, Too Good to Go delivers bags of surprise items.
- Misfits Market: This app focuses on grocery stores in the United States. Many supermarkets discard ugly or misshapen produce because consumers are unlikely to purchase them. However, Misfits Market only sells ugly produce, and at a reduced price, too.
- Flashfood: Flashfood shows consumers what is about to expire at nearby grocery stores and sells those products at a fraction of their original price. Flashfood works with stores throughout Canada and the United States.
- Imperfect Foods: Like Misfits Market, Imperfect Foods sells ugly fruits and vegetables at a discount, according to Scripps News. Imperfect Foods operates in the United States.