New app connects surplus food with consumers at big discounts

A tech start-up company developed an app to help mitigate food waste in the country.

As shown in Martin Javier's Game Changer report on "24 Oras" on Monday, tech CEO and co-founder Shiraz Dole launched an app called Mabu, which connects businesses looking to sell excess food with consumers who want to buy it at a discounted price—whether for personal consumption, as a gift, or as a donation to those in need.

To use the app as a food establishment owner, all you have to do is go to the business user interface of the app and create what they call a surprise bag.

"Press add a new bag. You set the description of the bag. You set the sale price, quantity. But here's the real magic. You can set the start time of when you want them to pick it up. So let's say in the evening, 7:30 to 9:30. And now the bag is created," Dole said.

For buyers, simply open the consumer interface and select a food category—whether it's bread, meals, or others. You can also choose a surprise bag based on the description provided.

"There's a little description of what you might get. Most times it's a surprise. Maybe there's a chocolate croissant today. It really depends," Dole said.

"What's always clear and transparent is that there's a discounted rate of at least up to 70%. So when it's the pickup window time, you just go to the store, press pickup, show your code, they give you your surprise bag, and you're done," he added.

According to Dole, by using the app, business owners not only prevent food from ending up in landfills and producing more carbon emissions, but they also provide people with a positive experience. —Jade Veronique Yap/MGP, GMA Integrated News