Food costs are soaring with no relief in sight, and now, there are apps to help consumers save money while eliminating food waste for restaurants and grocery stores.Delicious Bites in Wauwatosa offers healthy eats and sweet snacks to hungry customers.”We carry grab-and-go hot breakfast, soups and salads, sandwiches for lunch and all kinds of great delicious treats,” said owner Tomira White.At the popular 3rd Street Market Hall, the crowds ebb and flow depending on the day.”Our bakery in particular, we are in a food hall, so we can’t really sell out for the day and close early. We have to stay open later than a lot of bakeries so we do make more items,” explained Mid-Way Bakery owner Katie Fogel.For both, the uncertainty in the business leads to a common enemy: too much food at the end of the day.”It’s all still edible, still fresh, just not where I would sell it at full price,” White explained.This situation is not at all uncommon. Marquette Business School Associate Professor Alex Milovic explains just how much we’re throwing away.”In general, according to the research, we’re talking somewhere north of 150 pounds per person per year in the U.S.,” Milovic said.Now, a solution! New apps are giving people a new reason to waste less.Goodie Bag and Too Good to Go are two apps connecting hungry consumers with willing restaurants and bakeries.”Essentially, at the end of the day, if I have some things left over, and they’re still edible, I will package them up, put them on the app, and some people on the app, depending on who goes the fastest, can get it first,” White said.WISN 12 spoke to the co-founder of the Goodie Bag app, Eddy Connors. He says the idea came from the realization of just how much “food goes to waste in the United States.”This particular app is available in four states and is blowing up in the Milwaukee area.”Our sweet spot is dealing with the shops that typically prep their food in advance and are left with some degree of surplus or excess,” he explained.WISN 12 put the app to the test, purchasing several goodie bags over the span of a week in Milwaukee. Those deals, almost too good to be true. -A baker’s dozen of gourmet doughnuts from Donut Monster in Cedarburg for $11. Those normally sell for $30.-Four loaves of bread from Batter and Mac in Bay View for only $5.-Six strips from Mr. Wings at the 3rd Street Market Hall for $9.50; those would normally cost $15.-A box of jumbo homemade pastries from Midway Bakery, only $7.A lot of the spots are locally owned, but national chains are getting in on the action as well.With the Too Good to Go app we found deals at Whole Foods, including a bag of brownies, croissants and cookies for $6.99.The best deal overall, an Ikea Dinner bag from Too Good to Go. Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, peas, a salad, and two desserts for $5.99! This would normally cost $23.”Restaurants and retailers who sell food have had this product, what do I do with this product? I will just throw out so it gives them an opportunity to sell it,” Milovic said of the benefits of the apps.And now, in her third year of business, White hopes to sell even more Goodie Bags.”Many of the people who come in and get their goodie bags have never heard of us. I tell business owners I know you should definitely sign up. It’s a good way to get rid of your waste.”There are no fees for consumers to download the app. The apps take a portion of the proceeds of each order, roughly 30% for Goodie Bag.
Food costs are soaring with no relief in sight, and now, there are apps to help consumers save money while eliminating food waste for restaurants and grocery stores.
Delicious Bites in Wauwatosa offers healthy eats and sweet snacks to hungry customers.
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“We carry grab-and-go hot breakfast, soups and salads, sandwiches for lunch and all kinds of great delicious treats,” said owner Tomira White.
At the popular 3rd Street Market Hall, the crowds ebb and flow depending on the day.
“Our bakery in particular, we are in a food hall, so we can’t really sell out for the day and close early. We have to stay open later than a lot of bakeries so we do make more items,” explained Mid-Way Bakery owner Katie Fogel.
For both, the uncertainty in the business leads to a common enemy: too much food at the end of the day.
“It’s all still edible, still fresh, just not where I would sell it at full price,” White explained.
This situation is not at all uncommon. Marquette Business School Associate Professor Alex Milovic explains just how much we’re throwing away.
“In general, according to the research, we’re talking somewhere north of 150 pounds per person per year in the U.S.,” Milovic said.
Now, a solution! New apps are giving people a new reason to waste less.
Goodie Bag and Too Good to Go are two apps connecting hungry consumers with willing restaurants and bakeries.
“Essentially, at the end of the day, if I have some things left over, and they’re still edible, I will package them up, put them on the app, and some people on the app, depending on who goes the fastest, can get it first,” White said.
WISN 12 spoke to the co-founder of the Goodie Bag app, Eddy Connors. He says the idea came from the realization of just how much “food goes to waste in the United States.”
This particular app is available in four states and is blowing up in the Milwaukee area.
“Our sweet spot is dealing with the shops that typically prep their food in advance and are left with some degree of surplus or excess,” he explained.
WISN 12 put the app to the test, purchasing several goodie bags over the span of a week in Milwaukee. Those deals, almost too good to be true.
-A baker’s dozen of gourmet doughnuts from Donut Monster in Cedarburg for $11. Those normally sell for $30.
-Four loaves of bread from Batter and Mac in Bay View for only $5.
-Six strips from Mr. Wings at the 3rd Street Market Hall for $9.50; those would normally cost $15.
-A box of jumbo homemade pastries from Midway Bakery, only $7.
A lot of the spots are locally owned, but national chains are getting in on the action as well.
With the Too Good to Go app we found deals at Whole Foods, including a bag of brownies, croissants and cookies for $6.99.
The best deal overall, an Ikea Dinner bag from Too Good to Go. Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, peas, a salad, and two desserts for $5.99! This would normally cost $23.
“Restaurants and retailers who sell food have had this product, what do I do with this product? I will just throw out so it gives them an opportunity to sell it,” Milovic said of the benefits of the apps.
And now, in her third year of business, White hopes to sell even more Goodie Bags.
“Many of the people who come in and get their goodie bags have never heard of us. I tell business owners I know you should definitely sign up. It’s a good way to get rid of your waste.”
There are no fees for consumers to download the app. The apps take a portion of the proceeds of each order, roughly 30% for Goodie Bag.
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