Phone App Aims to Reduce Food Waste in St. Cloud Area

If you've worked in a bakery, restaurant or convenience store, you know about waste. Stuff that didn't sell that is perfectly fine -- but has to be counted and thrown away.

It doesn't seem right, does it? Tossing perfectly good food just because business policies say it has to be thrown and written off.

Now there's a phone app that allows businesses to connect customers to their surplus unsold food.

Get our free mobile app

"Too Good To Go" is an app that lists businesses with surplus food to sell at bargain prices.

Sometimes it's specific food items that are listed and priced at at least 1/2 the retail value of those items. Sometimes it's a surprise "magic bag" -- again, at least 1/2 the retail value of the items in the bag.

St. Cloud businesses have started listing on the app. And while there are just two businesses at this point, the app has found lots of interest in other parts of this and 13 other countries.

In St. Cloud, Circle K/Holiday Stationstores in several area locations are listing $12 retail value surprise bags of "Treats and Eats" for just $3.99.

And Global Bites x Animal Ride is offering both an Asian Exotic Snack Bundle and a European Exotic Snack Bundle. The European bundle is valued at $24 for just $7.99. The $33 Asian bundle is available for $10.99.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Businesses list what they're offering at 1/2 the retail price or less including pick-up time windows. The app allows users to browse different types of foods including vegetarian, vegan, groceries and baked goods. Then users can pick the ones they're interested in and pay for it through the app.

Customers get an email with details on pick-up and invoicing. Then customers go to the business, show the clerk their phone with the order, tap a button, redeem their purchase and leave with their food products.

The thought is to offer affordable foods to the public and convert some of those folks into full-paying patrons.

While St. Cloud-located businesses may be new to TGTG, the company's been around for 9 years. They say they have 28 million users worldwide and save more than 100,000 meals every day.

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT?

I bought a surprise bag from Circle K/Holiday Stationstores for $3.99. I got a box of Wheat Thins and two huge bags of "in-the-shell" peanuts in my surprise "magic" bag. I would have paid $4 just for the Wheat Thins at retail prices, so I'm ahead on the deal. Of course, that's one bag and stores put together surprise bags based on what's surplus at the moment.

While Circle K/Holiday has been listing on TGTG for a few months, Global Bites x Animal Ride is a new addition.

I hope this catches on in this area and more stores join. After all, we're in Central Minnesota -- and we all love a good bargain.

You can download the app for both iOs and Android here.