You can buy surplus food from these Hamilton businesses for cheap thanks to a new app

Food waste is inevitable when running a fresh-foods business.

Hamilton's Ottawa Market isn't isolated from the problem. Some days it's loaves of unsold bread approaching expiration, other days it's litres of milk or other dairy products nearing the end of their shelf life.

It's unfortunate when you see so much food go to waste out of trying to satisfy the supply and demand," said Mackenzie Brown, produce manager at Ottawa Market.

A surplus food app is looking to help prevent this waste in Hamilton.

Too Good To Go officially launched its services in the Hamilton area this week, connecting people with local businesses with surplus food items at a fraction of the original prices.

Hamiltonians can buy the surplus food left packed as surprise bags" at local stores across the city for one-third of the retail cost. Customers can purchase the surprise bags on the app and schedule a time for pick up at the stores.

Sam Kashani, country manager of Too Good To Go, said the app is very timely" considering how people are facing a pinch on (their) wallets with regards to inflation."

Finding fresh food, perishable food or raw ingredient groceries nearing their best before date is super helpful for the consumer who is on a budget more than ever," Brown from Ottawa Market told The Spectator.

Each of the chain's three local food markets - Ottawa Market, Dundurn Market, and Strathcona Market - usually put out three to six surprise bags of leftover food via the app every week, Brown said.

In Brown's opinion, the outlet sufficiently prevents food from being wasted ... and we're able to keep a smile on our faces" knowing it's going to those in need.

The Danish app, first launched in 2021 in Canada, already has a presence in seven cities - Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Edmonton, Quebec City, Calgary, and Montreal.

Take a pizza shop that is closing for the day. It's left with five slices.

Either they (employees) take that home for the 100th time or end up giving it away, or throwing it out," Kashani said.

Now, the shops can sign up with the company, and list the leftover food for interested customers at a lower price.

In Hamilton, over 35 local businesses have signed up with the app, including restaurants, cafes, and grocery stores.

Local businesses can join the platform free of cost and start putting out their unsold items the same evening, Kashani said.

Too Good To Go, established on the grounds of democratizing the fight against food waste," has about 4,500 partner businesses across Canada.

Jia Tian and her husband opened an Asian fusion doughnut store this May on Catharine Street.

Momoco Donuts offers flavours of handmade fluffy doughnuts Wednesday to Saturday, and their business policy is to start with a fresh batch every day.

For a business, it doesn't make sense to throw away perfectly fine food, and we are strongly against food waste," said Tian. She noted it's hard to estimate demand as a new business, and sometimes they are left with unsold doughnuts.

Momoco Donuts has been selling its leftover goods on the Too Good To Go app. Tian said they were already offering the leftover doughnuts on their social media platforms as surprise boxes."

But the difference is, she said, (the app) is a bigger platform ... and we'll get new customers who have never tried (our) product and a great way to reduce food waste."

Tian puts out surprise boxes 30 minutes before the closing. Customers don't know what they're getting but the quality of the food ... is as fresh as people get at our store just without the selection part."

Ritika Dubey is a reporter at The Spectator. rdubey@thespec.com