The surprise that’s saving food with Lucie Basch of Too Good To Go (2023) | How I Built This with Guy Raz

Intro

In this episode of “How I Built This with Guy Raz,” Guy interviews Lucie Basch, the founder of Too Good To Go, a platform that connects restaurants with consumers to repurpose food that would otherwise be thrown away. Lucie shares her inspiration for creating the platform and discusses the challenges and successes she has faced along the way.

Main Takeaways

The Impact of Food Waste

• About 60% of all food waste in the US comes from restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, and food service companies (00:00:53)
• Lucie Basch was inspired to create Too Good To Go after working at Nestle and realizing the significant issue of food waste at an industrial level (00:03:23)
• Basch was shocked to learn that 40% of the food produced on the planet is thrown away, leading her to want to make everyone a “waste warrior” and capable of fighting food waste (00:04:58)

The Concept of Too Good To Go

• Too Good To Go is a platform that connects restaurants and consumers to repurpose food that would otherwise be thrown away (00:01:24)
• Customers can order a surprise bag of food from their favorite bakery or cafe for a low price and pick it up at the end of the day (00:01:54)
• The app offered surprise bags filled with food from various stores at a third of the original price, allowing consumers to reduce food waste while enjoying discounted meals

The Power of Collaboration

• The founder’s approach to sharing and discussing the app idea with others led to the discovery of four Danish individuals working on a similar project, which ultimately led to a collaboration
• Collaboration is the new competition: Instead of competing, it’s better to work together on projects you care about
• Connecting with like-minded individuals: Found and contacted people working on a similar project

The Business Model of Too Good To Go

• The app takes a fixed commission on every meal saved
• When a user buys a surprise bag for $5.99 through the app, $1.79 goes to the app and the rest goes back to the store
• The app helps reduce food waste and encourages businesses to participate, as it’s like leaving money on the table if they don’t

The Mission and Vision of Too Good To Go

• Too Good To Go is a social enterprise with a mission to reduce food waste, but it is also focused on being a sustainable and profitable business
• The company’s goal is to build a global movement against food waste, saving three meals every second
• The vision for the future is to create a movement where people start changing the mindset around food

Summary

The Impact of Food Waste

About 60% of all food waste in the US comes from restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, and food service companies. Lucie Basch, the founder of Too Good To Go, was inspired to create the platform after working at Nestle and realizing the significant issue of food waste at an industrial level. She was shocked to learn that 40% of the food produced on the planet is thrown away, leading her to want to make everyone a “waste warrior” and capable of fighting food waste.

The Concept of Too Good To Go

Too Good To Go is a platform that connects restaurants and consumers to repurpose food that would otherwise be thrown away. Customers can order a surprise bag of food from their favorite bakery or cafe for a low price and pick it up at the end of the day. The app offered surprise bags filled with food from various stores at a third of the original price, allowing consumers to reduce food waste while enjoying discounted meals.

The Power of Collaboration

The founder’s approach to sharing and discussing the app idea with others led to the discovery of four Danish individuals working on a similar project, which ultimately led to a collaboration. Too Good To Go believes that collaboration is the new competition and emphasizes the importance of connecting with like-minded individuals to work on projects you care about.

The Business Model of Too Good To Go

Too Good To Go takes a fixed commission on every meal saved. When a user buys a surprise bag for $5.99 through the app, $1.79 goes to the app and the rest goes back to the store. The app helps reduce food waste and encourages businesses to participate, as it’s like leaving money on the table if they don’t.

The Mission and Vision of Too Good To Go

Too Good To Go is a social enterprise with a mission to reduce food waste, but it is also focused on being a sustainable and profitable business. The company’s goal is to build a global movement against food waste, saving three meals every second. They aim to create a movement where people start changing the mindset around food and take care of it.

Conclusion

Too Good To Go is tackling the significant issue of food waste by connecting restaurants and consumers through their platform. With a focus on collaboration, a unique business model, and a mission to reduce food waste globally, Too Good To Go is making a positive impact on both the environment and the food industry.