MIT Solve

Solution Overview

Solution Name

Foodecker

One-line solution summary.

Foodecker is a one stop B2C Food Marketplace(an app) that prevents good food from going to waste by connecting food vendors who have surplus food item with consumers.

Elevator pitch

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What is your solution?

Foodecker is a social enterprise that hopes to solve the problem of food insecurity by reducing food wastage threby reducing environmental hazard which is can lead to climate change. Using the power of mobile technology and innovation, having app that connects restaurants, cafe, malls, grocery stores at a ridiculous price.

On the free mobile application, one has to be registered either as a customer or vendor. Running from the customer's end, meals available at a particular location and time slot(usually of 30 minutes or more) are displayed showing their prices . The customer places an order then goes to pick-up the food within the time slot.

From the food vendor or seller end, they share an update of the particular food that is available within a certain time frame, the request is vetted on the app, then customers see updates and can place an order.

Also on the app food vendors/retailers can donate food items to orphanages, slums, foodbanks, correctional centres & IDP camps situated not too far from their location.

What specific problem are you trying to solve?

Foodecker is solving the problem of Food wastage, sales of stale food and making food more affordable thereby killing hunger.

Much of food supply goes wasted not because the food is rotten or spoiled but because food vendors, wholesale distributors, retailers lack the real time responsiveness and communication support needed to manage unsold or surplus food.

Data reads that food waste accounts for 8-10% of all CO2 gases in the world which implies it has a lot of climate impacts. For every time we make a dollar it's because we have done something good to people by making everyone (customers and food vendors) winners and also the environment by reducing the impact food waste has on it.

2020 Global food waste statistics reads 1.3 billion tons of edible food – equivalent to a third of global production – of food wasted annually by the world, which is enough to feed 3 billion people, according to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

While a fresh report of the United Nations regarding food wastage has revealed that food wastage in Nigeria per citizen is the highest in Africa. According to the report, a Nigerian trashes at least 189 kilogrammes of food every year, amounting to a total of 37.9 million (37,941,470) tonnes of food every 12 months.

A solution to this is what everyone seeks but are not aware of.

Who does your solution serve? In what ways will the solution impact their lives?

Foodecker solution matches with Sustainable Development Goals 2,12,13, 17 serving mostly the mid to low class people of Nigeria as more than 82 million Nigerians live on less than $1 a day, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Also educating people of the adverse effects of food wastage on the economy, environment and how they can imbibe daily practices to reduce food waste.

It makes no sense that we waste so much food to be ranked 1st in Africa and we have a high rate of hunger when we can deploy practices to reduce food wastage thereby having more people to feed and saving our environment from it's consequences.

What steps have you taken to understand the needs of the population you want to serve?

We carried out research by conducting surveys, interviews from food vendors and consumers. It was deduced that most restaurants, fast food lack the real time responsiveness to manage unsold or surplus food items and they end up paying to dispose the waste, some even go to the extent of mixing stale food with fresh food so the consumer won't be able to detect which is very dangerous to the health.

Most of the consumers complained of how expensive is it to purchase a good meal and they have to result to eating two times daily; either they skipp breakfast or lunch.

We also volunteered with a Food bank, Charity organisation and particpated in donating food to underserved communities, orphanages and correctional centres.

Which aspects of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Taking action to combat climate change and its impacts (Sustainability)

Our solution's stage of development:

Concept: An idea being explored for its feasibility to build a product, service, or business model based on that idea

Explain why you selected this stage of development for your solution—in other words, what have you accomplished to date?

We are still in the Idea/Concept stage because we recently completed a research and a simple need analysis and feasibility study within University of Lagos, Nigeria. Also still engaging food vendors, cafe, restaurants and consumers and yet to prototype the idea due to lack of funds.

Where our solution team is headquartered or located:

Lagos, Nigeria

Team Lead:

Gbolabo Femi-Jolayemi