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Meijer pilots app to help reduce food waste

Flashfood enables customers to shop and save on near-expired items

Russell Redman

November 8, 2019

2 Min Read
Meijer produce area - Copy.jpg
Meijer

Meijer is testing Flashfood, a mobile app that helps lessen store-generated food waste by allowing shoppers to buy near-expiring products at a discount.

The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based supercenter retailer said yesterday that it’s piloting the app at four stores in metropolitan Detroit: Brighton, Waterford, Commerce and Howell, Mich.

With Flashfood, customers can browse and buy foods nearing their “best by” date at up to 50% off regular prices, according to Meijer. Items available for purchase include meat, produce, seafood, deli and bakery products. Shoppers select a participating store, shop near-expired items and pay for them directly through the app.

Meijer Flashfood refrigerator - Copy.jpgUpon arrival at the store, they pick up their items in the designated “Flashfood zone” in the front of the store and confirm their order with customer service. The purchased food will be stored in a refrigerator or storage rack until picked up.

“Food is at the core of what we do, and we are constantly looking at ways to minimize in-store waste because it’s the right thing to do for our communities and our customers,” Don Sanderson, group vice president of fresh at Meijer, said in a statement. “We are excited to work with Flashfood and learn how much food can be spared from landfills.”

In other efforts to curtail food waste, Meijer last year donated more than 10.6 million pounds of food to local food banks through its Food Rescue program. The retailer said it also has repurposed food waste created during the manufacturing process of its foods. For example, waste from Meijer dairies in Tipp City, Ohio, and Holland, Mich., are being turned into animal feed, and fresh food byproducts from Middlebury, Ind., and Lansing, Mich. are sent for anaerobic digestion and being turned into compost.

Related:Meijer finishes rollout of Shop & Scan

“Reducing food waste is an important goal at Meijer,” according to Erik Petrovskis, director of environmental compliance and sustainability. “There are creative solutions throughout a food’s lifecycle that can reduce landfill use and production of greenhouse gases, and I’m pleased we’re looking at another in-store option that benefits our customers.”

Other current retail partners of Toronto-based Flashfood include Loblaw Cos. (under the Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, Dominion, Maxi, Provigo and Zehrs banners) and Hy-Vee. The company also has piloted the app with Canadian grocers Longo’s and Farm Boy (part of Sobeys Inc.), as well as with Target Corp. Flashfood has said it aims to make its app available at more U.S. stores.

“Bringing the metro Detroit community the ability to buy such great food at huge discounts while reducing food waste is exciting,” stated Josh Domingues, founder and CEO of Flashfood. “Meijer is a well-respected market leader focusing on innovation, and it’s evident through our partnership. Both teams are thrilled about the impact we’re bringing to market in this pilot.”

Related:Meijer increases its focus on pet care

Overall, Meijer operates 246 supercenters and grocery stores in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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