50+ manufacturers prevent waste of 2.5 million products with Too Good To Go

50+ manufacturers prevent waste of 2.5 million products with Too Good To Go

Too Good To Go, the world's largest marketplace for surplus food, has saved over 100,000 Magic Packages in the Netherlands in less than a year. These packages contain products from manufacturers that cannot be sold to retailers for various reasons. Instead of throwing them away, they are delivered directly to consumers' homes, where they are given a second life. After the pilot with Unilever, more than 50 manufacturers have joined the service and some 2.5 million products have been successfully saved from waste.

This article previously appeared on www.duurzaam-onernemen.nl.

An unnecessary amount is thrown away during food processing, production and packaging: some 18% of all waste occurs at this stage. To prevent this, Too Good To Go introduced the "Magic Package" model in November 2022. This allows manufacturers to sell products that are no longer suitable for sale to supermarkets, for example, due to printing errors on the label or a Best Before (THT) date that is too short, to consumers anyway. This unlocks value from otherwise wasted products, increases product visibility and reduces manufacturers' carbon footprint. Over 100,000 Magic Packs have now been saved from waste on the Too Good To Go app, which equates to 1,450,000 kg of CO2e emissions avoided.

Geertje Zeegers, Country Director of Too Good To Go Netherlands on the milestone: "We are always looking for new ways to combat food waste. The Magic Package offers a solution not only for the manufacturer, but also for the consumer and the planet. A win-win-win solution that a growing number of companies see the value of. We call on manufacturers who are not yet affiliated to also join and join forces in the fight against food waste. Together we will achieve more."

Too Good To Go buys products directly from manufacturers, then packages them into a Magic Package. The package is then offered at a discounted price on the Too Good To Go app and, once ordered, delivered to consumers' homes by PostNL. More than 50 manufacturers have now used the model, including Kraft Heinz, Oatly, Coca-Cola and John West.

Belén Llamazares Carballo, Marketing Director Benelux at KraftHeinz: "Food waste is a key priority within Kraft Heinz. We focus on the whole value chain and look at where food waste can be reduced. There are times when products can no longer be sold through regular channels. The partnership with Too Good To Go enables us to still give those products a valuable destination - in an easy way - while achieving our sustainability ambitions."

4 million app users

Since 2016, Too Good To Go has made it possible for Dutch bakeries, supermarkets and the hospitality industry to offer their leftover food to consumers at a reduced price. With the well-known Surprise Package model, over 22 million meals have now been saved. Some 4 million Dutch people have downloaded the app and more than 10,000 partners are connected to the platform; figures that show an upward trend due to developments such as inflation and climate issues. The mission of Too Good To Go - a world without food waste - has inspired other parts of the food chain to take a closer look in recent years.

In addition to the Magic Package, Too Good To Go introduced the "Look, Smell, Taste - Before You Waste" logo in 2022, which motivates consumers to use their senses before discarding a product with an amplified THT date. An increasing number of manufacturers, including Unilever and Bertolli, are giving the label a place on their packaging.