Over the past five years, Too Good To Go has been a benchmark in the fight against food waste in Portugal, mobilizing a community of over two million users and four thousand partners. Maria Tolentino, country director of Too Good To Go, reflects on the challenges overcome, the impact generated, and the strategies to continue inspiring society to adopt more sustainable habits, with the ambitious goal of creating a future without waste.
Grande Consumo Too Good To Go arrived in Portugal in 2019. What were the biggest challenges and lessons learned over these five years?
Maria Tolentino – Our journey has been built on continuous challenges and learning since day one. We launched a new brand and brought to the public debate a topic little or not at all explored in the national market: food waste. When we were beginning to gain the trust of partners, public entities and consumers, the pandemic emerged. A major obstacle that, far from discouraging us, prompted us to quickly adapt our strategy, ambition and the role we assume in the market.
While adaptation was essential during the pandemic, the biggest challenge today is prioritizing food waste on the public agenda. Although the topic is more widely known now than it was in 2019, there is still a long way to go. We need to join forces with companies, social organizations, and public entities to positively influence consumption habits and thus have a real and positive impact on the planet.
We remain optimistic: we see greater discussion around the topic and a growing commitment, extending to all sectors. We believe that Too Good To Go can make a truly significant contribution in this regard.
“Although the topic is more widely known today than it was in 2019, there is still a long way to go. We need to join forces with companies, social organizations, and public entities to positively influence consumption habits and thus have a real and positive impact on the planet.”
GC – How do you assess the impact of Too Good To Go in combating food waste in Portugal since its arrival?
MT – We are very proud of the impact we have been able to achieve by actively and directly addressing the challenge of food waste in Portugal. Too Good To Go is a B Corp certified social impact company that connects consumers with food establishments to save unsold food and prevent it from being wasted.
Currently, we have over two million users and more than four thousand partners in Portugal who, together, have saved more than five million Surprise Bags over these five years. This equates to 10 tons of CO2e avoided, which we can compare to about 1.877 airplane trips around the world. I believe these numbers alone reveal our impact over these years in Portugal.
“At this moment, we already have more than two million users and more than four thousand partners in Portugal who, together, over these five years, have already saved more than five million Surprise Bags. This is equivalent to 10 tons of CO2e avoided, which we can equate to about 1.877 airplane trips around the world. I believe that these numbers alone reveal the impact we have had over these years in Portugal.”
GC – In Portugal, almost five million Surprise Bags have already been saved. What strategies were key to achieving this milestone?
MT – The five million Surprise Bags saved in Portugal are the result of several actions leveraged by innovative technological tools, developed with the specific purpose of reducing food waste, without ever losing focus on the local community.
So, in addition to our app, which daily presents Surprise Bags filled with unsold food from our partners, we launched the Too Good To Go Platform at the beginning of last year. This modular software is designed to monetize retailers' surplus food, allowing for efficient tracking and redistribution. And, without a doubt, we will continue to innovate, focusing on technology.
In parallel, and in partnership with food brands, we developed an awareness project called "Observe, Smell, Taste". This consists of a small seal that we add to the packaging of various food products, with the aim of reminding people that they should use their senses before throwing away a product that is past its expiration date – whenever we are talking about products with a minimum durability date.
Finally, and on an ongoing basis, we promote various awareness campaigns about food waste to mobilize society, conduct surveys to better understand the consumption habits of the Portuguese, and maintain a consistent presence on our social networks where we share recipes and very specific tips for our community.
GC – Too Good To Go has been recognized with several international awards, such as the Cultural Impact Award and Fast Company's World Changing Ideas Awards. How do these recognitions help reinforce the company's mission?
MT – Being recognized internationally for the work we do, and as experts in food waste, is a source of pride and motivation, as well as contributing to strengthening the trust and credibility of our brand. This allows us to raise awareness among more people and amplify our message among businesses, public entities and political leaders, contributing positively to prioritizing the resolution of the food waste problem.
GC – Currently, Too Good To Go has four thousand partners in Portugal. What are the main criteria for new partners to join?
GC – Currently, Too Good To Go has four thousand partners in Portugal. What are the main criteria for new partners to join?MT – The only criterion for new partners to join is a desire to make a difference in the fight against food waste. The process is very simple: the establishment only needs to register on the Too Good To Go app and can start selling its surplus to our users.
GC – With over two million users in the country, how has the company been working to continue growing and reaching even more people?
MT – Awareness of food waste has been growing organically in recent years, driven by several factors, such as inflation and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This context not only reinforces the relevance of our brand, but also increases our responsibility to respond quickly to market needs.
Every day, we work to improve our application, simplifying the consumer experience. At the same time, we integrate feedback from our partners into technological solutions that allow them to more accurately measure in-store waste and make more informed decisions about food distribution.
By developing new tools for both consumers and partners, we are making our mission more accessible and, above all, more scalable.
GC – Data shows that each Portuguese person wastes 180 kilograms of food per year. What role has Too Good To Go played in raising public awareness of this problem?
MT – From day one, we have considered awareness a key element in our strategy. Talking about “food waste” can sound subjective and difficult to capture the consumer's attention if we don't better explain what this problem really means.
In this sense, we actively use our communication channels to explain in more detail what food waste represents – we provide real and reliable figures on its negative impact and try to create equivalencies that are easier for consumers to understand.
For example, we know that a Surprise Bag, on average, is equivalent to one kilogram of food, and we also know that the energy used to produce this kilogram of food is equivalent to charging a mobile phone 598 times. The act of charging a mobile phone is something anyone can relate to and is easier to understand. This is an example of how we try to demystify, through a content strategy, the impact a person can have by saving Surprise Bags.
“We know that a Surprise Bag, on average, is equivalent to one kilogram of food, and we also know that the energy used to produce this one kilogram of food is equivalent to charging a mobile phone 598 times.”
GC – What educational initiatives or communication campaigns are planned to reinforce this message?
MT – Reinforcing this message of awareness about food waste must be continuous and consistent.
Therefore, throughout the next year, we will continue to invest in awareness initiatives, both through our "Observe, Smell, Taste" seal and other more specific campaigns, particularly in conjunction with our partners. We also want to continue developing surveys that allow us to better understand the consumption habits of the Portuguese, in order to further adapt our communication strategy.
We also intend to continue working with political entities so that measures are adopted regarding food waste and strategies are developed to reduce it, without forgetting the need for continuous education on this problem.
GC – Despite the remarkable growth, what are the objectives for the coming years in Portugal? Are there any new services or functionalities that could be introduced?
MT – In 2025, we want to continue growing and working side-by-side with more partners and consumers. Only in this way will we be able to achieve our ambitious vision: “A planet without food waste”. We will continue to use key moments to raise community awareness and introduce new solutions to our offering, which we will communicate soon. With this, the goal is to continue making a difference in our environment.
GC – With a presence in 19 countries, how can Too Good To Go's international experience be adapted and applied to the Portuguese context?
MT – Our international presence allows us to learn from countries and cultures that are both similar and distinct. An example of how we used the expertise of other countries locally was the webinar “Public Policies Against Food Waste,” which we organized in partnership with WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature). We invited several political entities to learn about the measures and projects against food waste that are already being implemented abroad and which of these solutions can be adapted to the Portuguese context. Additionally, we also want to launch an education-related initiative, already underway in France and Denmark, where we work with schools and universities to raise awareness about the environment among future generations, and which could be a turning point when applied to Portugal.
GC – Globally, food waste is responsible for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions. How important is a solution like Too Good To Go in reducing this environmental footprint?
MT – Since 2019, we have already saved more than five million Surprise Bags. This means that the emission of more than 10 tons of CO2e has been avoided, approximately three billion liters of water have not been wasted, and there has been no unnecessary use of 11 million square meters of land.
These numbers reflect the positive impact our solution has on the environment and how, through our community and tools, we can care for our planet. Starting with small daily actions by our users, combined with business decisions by our partners, and leveraged by Too Good To Go's technology and global scale, we are able to take important steps towards reducing the consequences of food waste.
GC – In Portugal, data shows that food waste costs €3,3 billion per year. How can Too Good To Go contribute to reducing this economic impact?
MT – We present ourselves as a “Win-Win-Win” solution, meaning everyone wins, from the consumer to the partner, and ultimately our planet. In fact, we offer a concept that, in addition to contributing to the reduction of food waste, also allows people to access food with a good quality/price ratio and allows partners to earn some extra money by monetizing their surplus food. These two avenues allow us to contribute very directly to reducing the economic impact, both for businesses and for Portuguese families.
GC – In the current context of the climate emergency, how do you see Too Good To Go's role in promoting a more sustainable society?
MT – We believe that, as a company, we are more than just an application and have an increased responsibility when it comes to reducing food waste.
From the consumer's point of view, we not only share daily practical tips and recipes that anyone can use at home, but we also have features in our app that help users gain extra motivation to save more Surprise Bags and thus create a greater positive impact. For example, consumers can see the CO2e they have helped to avoid in the environment, invite friends to participate in this mission, and even ask a friend to collect the Surprise Bag for them if they don't have time to do it themselves.
On the other hand, we have developed tools for our partners, such as the Too Good To Go Platform, a food surplus management solution integrated with our app that facilitates the accounting of surplus in-store and provides advice on its distribution.
These are just a few examples, but as I mentioned before, we work every day to ensure that our consumers and partners integrate Too Good To Go into their daily routine without it being disruptive. We want to normalize the fight against food waste.
According to Eurostat data, 40% of all food produced in the world is wasted, that is, about 2,5 billion tons per year.
GC – What message would you like to leave for partners, users, and society in general about the importance of combating food waste?
MT – Too Good To Go warns that, according to Eurostat data, 40% of all food produced in the world is wasted, that is, about 2,5 billion tons per year. With a single click, it is possible to contribute to changing this reality and make this fight against food waste something simple and part of our daily routine.
So, the message I would like to leave is, in fact, an appeal – an appeal to all people to join our mission and make our tomorrow a day closer to a planet without food waste.
GC – Will the fifth anniversary be marked with any special initiative? If so, can you share details?
MT – We are very proud of the journey we have taken and all the impact we have managed to generate, thanks to the commitment of our users and partners. We don't have any special initiatives planned to mark our fifth anniversary, but it's part of our company culture to celebrate progress every day, "one bite at a time," because we believe that's how we should look at such an ambitious vision as ours. We dream of a planet without food waste, and this is our motivation to continue working for many more years.
GC – What is your assessment of these five years of operation in Portugal, and what are your biggest expectations for the future?
MT – The overall assessment is very positive, considering everything I've described in the previous questions. We knew the initial challenge was significant, but we had great confidence in our mission, our tools, our team, and our ability to build truly impactful partnerships in the Portuguese market.
Therefore, it is with great pride that we thank our community of over two million users and four thousand business partners. They are directly responsible for each of these five million Surprise Bags saved.
Looking to the future, my greatest hope is that Too Good To Go will continue to grow as a community and inspire and empower everyone to reduce food waste. I have complete confidence in our team, our innovative solutions, and our community, and I believe that Too Good To Go will continue on this path for many more years.
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