Flashfood app brings low prices, less waste to local grocery stores

Flashfood, an app that offers discounts on food nearing its best-before date, has teamed up with a number of grocery stores in Edmonton. 

The idea for the app was originally featured on the reality show Dragons’ Den, where entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a panel of venture capitalists.

The app sells food, close to its expiry date, with a discount of up to 50 per cent. The goal is to limit the amount of food thrown out by grocery stores and save shoppers money.

“It was really fast and easy. It helped me get all the food I need for the week,” said Erin, a local Flashfood user.

Shoppers who use the app can see a selection of discounted food available at their nearest grocery store. The food sold through the app is on a marked shelf at the front of stores, accessible only to Flashfood customers. The list of food on sale changes every day. The entire transaction takes place through the app with special iPads located in stores to close sales.

Josh Domingues started the app after recognizing the amount of food getting thrown out by grocery stores. According to Domingues, stores throw out between 12-15 full shopping carts worth out food every day which he equated to approximately $4,000 to $7,000. The Flashfood website estimates approximately 160 billion pounds of food ends up in North American landfills.

A NAIT NewsWatch poll asked Facebook followers if they would buy food closer to the expiry date to save money. Just over 80 per cent of people said they would definitely buy food close to expiring at a discount.

Flashfood is at Real Canadian Superstores in Edmonton and across the country.

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