The Shift
The Old Way: Good Food in the Dumpster
Restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores throw away perfectly good food daily due to overproduction, appearance standards, or approaching sell-by dates.
- 1/3 of all food produced globally is wasted
- Food waste costs restaurants 4-10% of revenue
- Retailers lose $18.2 billion annually on unsold food
- Food waste generates 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions
The New Way: Surprise Bags at Steep Discounts
Businesses list Surprise Bags of surplus food for 1/3 of retail price. Consumers pick up during specified windows, saving money while saving food.
- Surprise Bag model creates urgency and discovery
- No additional work for businesses - use existing surplus
- In-app payment with minimal friction
- B2B partnerships with major chains (Starbucks, Carrefour)
The Story
Founded in 2015 in Copenhagen by a group of entrepreneurs who saw restaurants throwing away good food while people went hungry.
Too Good To Go is a B Corp certified social impact company fighting food waste through a mobile marketplace.
Proof Points
Meals rescued from waste since founding
Registered app users globally
Stores and restaurants on the platform
Markets where the app operates
Deep Dive
Innovation
The Surprise Bag model is brilliant psychology: it turns unpredictable surplus into exciting discovery, and the discount creates urgency that ensures pickup.
Circular Model
Too Good To Go takes a small commission on each transaction. The model is asset-light - they facilitate connections but don't handle food directly.
Community Impact
Beyond consumer savings, Too Good To Go runs awareness campaigns reaching millions and advocates for policy changes like date labeling reform.
Business Results
The company has raised €361M+ in funding and is profitable in multiple markets. Their B2B arm partners with major retailers on enterprise-scale solutions.
Key Takeaway
The most elegant business models don't fight human behavior—they redirect it. Too Good To Go turned bargain hunting into environmental activism.
Founder Pathway
Can start local with limited capital; growth requires investment in user acquisition
Best for marketplace entrepreneurs in underserved geographies