3 food sharing apps rescuing Japan’s food waste

About half of the world’s food loss is generated by businesses, especially shops and restaurants. The losses can result from inclement weather, special events, reservation cancellations, wrong orders, or stocking excessive inventory. However, we consumers can help reduce food waste, and here are three apps that make it simple to do so.

Reduce Go

Reduce Go is a service that matches restaurants wanting to reduce food waste with diners seeking reasonably priced meals. For 1,980 yen per month, users can grab food-to-go from registered shops and restaurants up to twice a month. This service is currently available only in Tokyo, however, but an expanded service area is in the works. The number of registered shops and restaurants is now at 172, and 11,702 meals have been saved as of the end of August 2019.

The Reduce Go app shows a list of the closest shops or restaurants from a user’s current location, as well as food items and pickup times. When an order is placed, the app shows the confirmation number needed to collect the food, the pickup time and the route to the vendor’s location—especially helpful for those visiting for the first time.

TABETE

TABETE, a platform to support the effort to sell every last meal, connects a “tabete” (a pun which means both “eat” and “the eater”) with meals, although sill fresh, about to be wasted because of an approaching business closing time. Most of the 319 registered restaurants are in Tokyo, but some are in Saitama, Kanagawa, and Ishikawa, as well. Users pay a la carte set prices for each item at each shop or restaurant rather than a monthly fee.

After browsing detailed menu descriptions on the app, users select desired items, quantities, and pickup time, then tap “pay and rescue a meal.” When users arrive at the shop or restaurant, simply having the staff tap “complete rescue” is all it takes to bring home a delicious meal.

FOOD PASSPORT

FOOD PASSPORT is a food sharing service that offers a chef-select menu made with surplus restaurant fare, mainly in the Kansai area. Just a 980 yen monthly fee lets users enjoy this service up to ten times a month. There are 489 registered restaurants—the most of all three services. FOOD PASSPORT is specific to dining in, so an additional minimum purchase (such as a beverage) is required. However, this is an incredible deal, considering that users receive ten meals valued around 1,000 yen each for only 980 yen a month.

Users order items on the app from a restaurant chef’s daily selections. They can dine in at the restaurant simply by showing the page on their cell phone screens. Because of the large number of registered restaurants and the dine-in style, users are able to choose from a wide variety of cuisines and dishes, such as pasta, steak, sashimi, hot pot and even lobster.

These services create a win-win situation for both businesses and users concerned with food waste. A simple change in your daily life could be the first step to make a real difference.

This article was originally published on IDEAS FOR GOOD.
Translated by Zenbird Editorial Team.