FoodHero, an app that prevents food from being thrown out is now part of the shopping experience at nearly 200 IGA stores across Québec. The FoodHero mobile app offers advantages for both consumers and stores owners.
It’s a simple concept: shoppers use the app to buy unsold products that are still perfectly good to eat, at prices marked down by 25% to 60%. One bargain at a time, consumers are saving on groceries and retailers are cutting both the economic and environmental (CO2 emissions) costs associated with producing, transporting and sending unsold products to landfills.
Downloads of FoodHero keep rising, confirming its status as a leader in this segment in Québec. For FoodHero founder Jonathan Defoy, the program’s popularity confirms the relevance of this tool, both from a consumer perspective and within distribution networks: “Food waste is becoming a major concern for more and more Quebecers, and FoodHero is a simple, concrete solution that lets them act on it, on a daily basis if they want. We’re very happy it’s been so popular with IGA customers,” he explained.
“We are very proud to collaborate with a Québec tech company such as FoodHero and we want to highlight the active involvement of our store owners in the program. Their efforts enabled us to roll out this anti-food waste initiative very quickly, offering an additional alternative to nearly 200 IGA locations across Québec,” said Carl Pichette, Vice President of Marketing for Sobeys, Inc.
About IGA
IGA is the largest group of independent grocers in Canada, and has been operating in Québec since 1953.
About FoodHero
FoodHero is a start-up founded by Jonathan Defoy, a serial entrepreneur with nearly 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is supported by Alain Brisebois, a strategic advisor who has held several senior management positions at major retailers in the food industry. In addition to offering discounted products at participating retailers, FoodHero also calculates the CO2 “savings” by avoiding residual waste using a scientific formula validated by a firm with recognized expertise in renewable energy.
