Rising grocery costs and growing concerns about food waste have created an urgent need for smarter, more sustainable solutions.
Across Canada, a number of innovative companies are addressing both challenges at once.
Their goal is to recover surplus food and bring it to Canadian households at affordable prices and through accessible delivery options. Here are five platforms that standout!
Odd Bunch
Odd Bunch built its model around a simple but impactful idea: perfectly edible produce is often discarded due to cosmetic imperfections.
By sourcing “imperfect” fruits and vegetables directly from farms and distributors, the company diverts this food from landfill and delivers it to customers at significantly reduced prices—often up to 50% less than traditional retail.
Subscription boxes typically start in the $20–$30 range, with flexible delivery options that allow customers to skip or cancel at any time.
Too Good To Go
Too Good To Go takes a marketplace approach, connecting consumers with restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores that have unsold food at the end of the day. Users can purchase “Surprise Bags” through the app, at a fraction of the original price, which can be up to 50% or more off.
While the contents are not predetermined, the model enables businesses to recover value from surplus inventory while offering consumers an affordable and convenient option. Not to mention that it doesn’t end up sitting in the trash!
Flashfood
Flashfood is a Canadian-founded platform that partners with major grocery retailers to sell items approaching their best-before date at a discount.
Users can browse available products, including meat, dairy, produce, and prepared foods and purchase directly through the app to pick up in-store.
Discounts frequently reach 50%, offering a transparent and predictable way to save while reducing food waste.
FoodHero
FoodHero operates on a similar principle, focusing on surplus grocery items nearing the end of their shelf life. In some cases, products are frozen at peak freshness to extend usability.
Discounts typically range between 25% and 60%, making it a practical option for consumers looking to manage food costs more effectively.
The app continues to expand across Canadian markets.
OLIO
OLIO introduces a more community-oriented model by enabling individuals and local businesses to share surplus food directly with others in their area, often at no cost.
The platform facilitates peer-to-peer redistribution of food that might otherwise go to waste, while also supporting a broader shift toward more collaborative consumption.
It is particularly effective for reducing household-level waste and increasing access to food within local communities.
Grow together
Collectively, these platforms demonstrate that addressing food waste and improving affordability are not mutually exclusive goals.
By rethinking how surplus food is distributed, they offer practical, scalable solutions that benefit both consumers and the broader food system.
