1. Summarize your business in one sentence.
Food Rescue US, a technology driven platform, is committed to ending American food insecurity through direct-transfer food rescue.
2. How long have you been in business?
Since 2011.
3. Why did you decide to start the company?
After seeing all the food waste in the restaurant industry, and realizing hunger could be alleviated using logistical software to capture that surplus, we developed an app and started rescuing and delivering food.
4. What has been your biggest achievement so far?
Rescuing and delivering 19 million meals to those in need.
5. How do you measure success?
Our technology allows us to capture and really quantify our work data so we know those 19 million meals also means 28.2 million pounds of food, at an estimated value of $48 million, has not gone into landfill. The real success though is that we have been able to provide fresh food to those in need and save a little bit of the planet as well.
6. What have you learned in the process?
That this senseless problem of food insecurity in the US can and will be fixed on the grass roots level. When we all get together and help our neighbors our communities become stronger and everyone benefits.
7. What advice would you give to someone trying to start a sustainable food company?
Well they can certainly contact us if they are looking to start a food rescue program. We are expanding, we currently operate 13 sites and anticipate 25 locations by the end of 2017. We give our app to new partners, train them in best practices, etc., and help them get up and running.
8. What’s next? Anything else you want to add?
We will continue our national expansion and work until hunger has been eradicated and all of us at Food Rescue US no longer have a job.
9. Fun question: what was the best meal you ate this week?
Salmon and vegetables grilled and consumed lakeside at a friend’s cottage.
by Alison Sherman, Director of Communications at Food Rescue US
Say No To Food Waste 