Flashfood, an app that allows shoppers to buy food that is close to its expiration date at discounted prices, announced on Tuesday that independent grocers have been added to the app, making grocery purchases more affordable for more shoppers.
It's a notable move for the company because small, independently owned grocers play a vital role in rural and urban communities where low-income families live. With food prices rising, not everyone can afford fresh produce, so FlashFood's expansion aims to help those customers save money. To date, the company says it has helped customers save about $280 million on their grocery bills, according to its website.
Founded in 2016, Flashfood previously only partnered with major supermarket chains such as Giant Eagle, Meijer, Piggly Wiggly, Stop & Shop, etc. Flashfood has now added over 10 independent stores across the U.S. and Canada, including Greentop Grocery in Bloomington, IL, Country Squire Foods in Chicago Heights, IL, Supermercado Mexico in Wyoming, MI, and Samir Supermarket in Burlington, ON.
The company plans to add more than 100 independent grocers by the end of the year.
Image credit: Flashfood
Not only will this new service help shoppers save money, it will also benefit local businesses by helping to reduce food waste, a serious problem in the U.S. According to a report by nonprofit organization Feeding America, an average of 92 billion pounds of food is wasted each year in the U.S. According to Flashfood's annual impact report, since the app's launch, it has prevented 37 million pounds of food from being thrown out of landfills in 2023 alone, and more than 100 million pounds of food from being wasted in total.
Flashfood's app allows independent grocers to list their product catalogs, which can be pulled from existing inventory management software or added manually by the store owner. The Flashfood app automatically selects items on the shelves that are nearing their expiration date and notifies customers of the latest deals. Food that would normally end up in landfills and lose revenue to the grocer can be sold to shoppers at up to 50% off.
“Today's already tough and competitive retail environment is especially tough on independent grocers, who face unique challenges for small businesses,” Flashfood CEO Nicholas Bertram said in a statement. “Our goal with this launch is to provide a lifeline to these businesses, many of whom are solving food procurement challenges in hyper-urban and rural areas. Our hope is to support these grocers with a solution that will bring more shoppers into their stores and give back to their bottom line.”
The company also plans to expand internationally to tackle food waste around the world, Bertram told TechCrunch.
To date, Flashfood boasts over 4.5 million app downloads. The company raised $12.3 million in Series A funding in 2022.
This was updated on July 23, 2024 at 10:05 AM EST to reflect changes at the supermarket chains: Price Rite Marketplace and Save A Lot are no longer listed on Flashfood.