Kroger pilots partnership with app to cut food waste
The Kroger Co. is testing a collaboration with the Flashfood waste reduction app.
The mid-Atlantic division of grocery giant Kroger is rolling out Flashfood, which offers discounts of up to 50% on groceries nearing their sell-by date with the goal of diverting food waste from landfills, across 16 Richmond, Va.-area Kroger stores.
Through the partnership, Richmond-area customers can purchase fresh groceries in surplus or nearing their best-by date — including meat, dairy, produce and baked goods — at significant discounts through the Flashfood app.
Items are then picked up from designated Flashfood zones inside participating Kroger stores. Kroger is piloting the program as part of its ongoing Zero Hunger | Zero Waste digital anti-hunger initiative.
“At Kroger, we’re always looking for innovative ways to serve our communities, reduce our environmental impact and move closer to our Zero Hunger Zero Waste goals," said mid-Atlantic division president Kate Mora. "Our partnership with Flashfood helps us achieve all three. This app is another resource for customers who are looking for affordable options to feed their families while also keeping perfectly good food out of landfills. It’s a win for our community and the planet."
With this expansion, Flashfood is now available in more than 2,000 stores across North America. Other retailers operating in the grocery space that have piloted and deployed Flashfood in the past few years include Earth Fare, Save Mart, Giant Food, Meijer, Hy-Vee and SpartanNash.
[READ MORE: Flashfood upgrades app interface, shopping features]
To date, Flashfood says its collaborative program has diverted over 140 million pounds of food from landfills and saved shoppers more than $355 million on groceries.
"Kroger’s leadership in operational excellence makes them an incredible partner to demonstrate what Flashfood can deliver when executed at scale," said Jordan Schenck, CEO of Flashfood. "We’re thrilled to be kicking off this partnership and to support Kroger’s impactful Zero Hunger, Zero Waste program. Together, we’re not only expanding access to fresh, affordable groceries in Richmond – we’re also demonstrating how innovation can leverage surplus and end-of-life food to serve communities, support retailers and keep good food out of landfills."
Based in Cincinnati, The Kroger Co. operates approximately 2,800 stores under a variety of banners across the U.S., including Kroger, Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Dillons, Smith's, King Soopers, Fry's, QFC, City Market, Owen's, Jay C, Pay Less, Baker's, Gerbes, Harris Teeter, Pick 'n Save, Metro Market and Mariano's. The mid-Atlantic division of Kroger operates more than 100 stores in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio.
