Adelaide foodies and bargain hunters, there’s a new way to enjoy your favourite eats, and do your bit for the planet while you’re at it.
Global anti-food waste app Too Good To Go has officially launched in Adelaide, joining the city’s buzzing food scene with a mission to help local businesses save meals, money, and the environment.
After successful launches across 19 countries, and recently hitting Australia – landing in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, and Brisbane – Country Director Joost Rietveld says Adelaide was the natural next step.
“From casual cafes and upscale restaurants, to booming farmers markets and grocers — Adelaide is renowned for its vibrant food scene and abundant produce,” he says.
“Its strong commitment to sustainability makes it the perfect match for our mission to inspire and empower everyone to fight food waste together.”
Founded in Denmark in 2015, the certified B-Corp company is the world’s largest marketplace for surplus food and connects people with local restaurants, bakeries and grocers, offering discounted “Surprise Bags” filled with surplus food.
Since its launch in 2016, Too Good To Go has helped save over 250 million meals from going to waste, the equivalent of 945,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions avoided. And, since arriving in Australia last September, over half a million Aussies have joined the platform, saving more than 475,000 meals from going to landfill across the nation.
So, what is ‘surplus’ food?
Unlike typical food waste, surplus refers to food unlikely to be sold and, in most cases, it’s perfectly good food, like pastries left at the end of a slow day at a bakery or leftover bread loaves. As someone who’s worked in hospitality and seen the sheer volume of food that gets thrown out, this app feels like an exciting and much-needed step in the right direction.
Too Good To Go’s local rollout has already attracted more than 50 Adelaide businesses, with iconic names like Bricks & Stones, Meli on Hutt, and national favourites like Roll’d and Bakers Delight jumping on board. Meli on Hutt even believes the surprise bag could feed a family.
“In speaking with our partners, some have shared how they haven’t thrown away any surplus food since our launch just a week ago,” says Joost.
“Customers have been equally excited to join the movement to combat food waste and save money while they’re at it.”
So, how does it work?
It’s simple. Users download the app, search for nearby eateries, and purchase a Surprise Bag, usually worth two to three times the price paid. You won’t know exactly what’s inside, but that’s part of the fun. It’s a food lucky dip, but with no mediocre prizes.
“It’s a win-win-win model,” says Joost.
“People get good food at great value, businesses make money on food they’d otherwise toss, and together we reduce waste and fight climate change.”
With over 120 million global users and 180,000 business partners, the movement is growing fast, and Joost confirms there’s more to come.
“We’re live in five major cities and expanding. We’re inviting everyone to join our global community and make a difference, one meal at a time.”
With the cost of living continuing to bite, especially when it comes to grocery and dining prices, the app offers an affordable way to enjoy quality meals without breaking the bank.
Too Good To Go’s goal is to help Australia halve its food waste by 2030, and Adelaide’s already off to a strong start. If you’re a feind for a discount or a notorious online food orderer (I raise my hand), then this one’s for you. Download the app and secure your mystery bag of goodies. Good for you, and the environment.
Why it matters
For those eager to learn more, here’s some alarming stats on food waste, making this initiative all the more important.
- In Australia, over 7.6 million tonnes of food is wasted annually, enough to fill the Melbourne Cricket Ground ten times, 70% of the food is still edible.
- Food waste happens across almost every food category, on average vegetables (25%), cereals (24%), and fruits (12%) are the food wasted the most in households.
- 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide are caused by food waste.
- 25% of fresh water used annually goes into food that ultimately goes to waste.
- 11.5% of all land in the world is used annually to produce food that ultimately goes to waste. In total, this corresponds to a language area greater than China.
- $1.1 trillion is the amount of money lost through food waste every year.
- 2.4 billlion people do not have access adequate, nutrituous food.
Sourced from World Fun for Nature, 2024
For more info on Too Good To Go, click here.
To download the app, click here.
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