CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Just off Interstate 85 in west Charlotte, there’s a vegan cafe.
“Food is scarce in this part of town, so we chose this area to introduce healthy eating to the community,” explains co-owner Dumar Hemingway.
Love In Action Cafe has only been open for less than a year and a half, and like any new restaurant, it has very thin profit margins. And like most restaurants, it throws out 4-10% of its leftover food each day.
When Too Good To Go proposed a solution to the owners, it made sense and was profitable.
“We like it for the health of our customers, it’s for the environment, it’s for the animals, it’s a win-win,” co-owner Ini Isangedigi said.
Instead of restaurants throwing out food at the end of the night, the Too Good To Go app helps businesses sell the food to customers at a fraction of the cost.
“For years we’ve seen businesses set up things like day-old bread bins, and this is another way to get food in the hands of people who want it,” explained Too Good To Go spokesperson Sarah Soteroff.
The company says it has saved 11 million meals from the trash nationwide, generating $38 million for business owners and $120 million for customers.
“I actually think this is a good idea. I think it’s a clever app,” Chase Mason continues. “I’m actually going to download the app as soon as this interview is over.”
The app was launched in Charlotte on Wednesday.
