Wasteless: Smart Household Food Tracking to Eliminate Waste
WasteLess is a mobile & web platform that automatically tracks perishable items, predicts spoilage, sends timely notifications, suggests usage or recipes, and supports multi-user, multi-fridge households. Our goal is to empower consumers to cut food waste, reduce expenses, and contribute to sustainability.
Households Drive Majority of Global Food Waste
Did you know ?
631M
Tonnes Wasted
by households in 2022 (60% of total 1.05 billion tonnes), equivalent to over 1 billion meals daily.
79kg
Per Person
of edible food wasted per year globally, more than 1 meal/day per person.
$728
US Cost
per person/year ($2,913 for a 4-person household), about 11% of grocery budget.
€132B
EU Loss
per year to food waste (132 kg per person/year), a major drain on budgets.
Despite abundant production, households discard vast volumes due to planning gaps, label confusion, and spoilage, imposing economic and environmental burdens. Food loss and waste contribute 8–10% of global GHG emissions.
Fertile Ground: Mobile Adoption & Sustainability Mindset
High Mobile Penetration
US & Europe have 78–88% mobile internet users, with Sub-Saharan Africa rising.
Rising Cost Pressures
Grocery costs increased ~25% from 2019-2023, driving consumers to seek savings.
Strong Sustainability
~85% of consumers will pay a premium for sustainable products; ~80% buy eco-friendly goods monthly.
Policy Momentum
UN SDG 12.3 aims to halve food waste by 2030, supported by EU/national targets.
Wasteless addresses a convergence of high mobile usage, cost-saving needs, and sustainability commitments among consumers, reinforced by policy and corporate agendas.
Current Apps Lack Frictionless, Comprehensive Tracking
Key Issues
  • Manual entry friction and limited auto-data.
  • Single-user or single-storage assumptions.
  • Post-opening spoilage not modeled.
  • Label confusion across regions.
  • Low engagement and retention.
Examples
  • Many apps require tedious manual logging; barcode databases are incomplete.
  • Tools assume one user managing one fridge/pantry, unlike modern households.
  • Static expiry tracking overlooks faster spoilage after opening (e.g., milk).
  • “Use by” vs. “Best before” differences cause food discard or safety risks.
  • Existing apps see modest active usage beyond trial due to friction.
The gaps—manual effort, incomplete data capture, simplistic spoilage modeling, regional label complexity, and retention challenges—create an unmet need for a seamless, intelligent solution.
How Can We Deliver a Seamless, Accurate, Scalable Food-Tracking Platform for All Households?
Automated Data Capture
How to automatically capture accurate expiry/shelf-life data with minimal manual input?
Dynamic Spoilage Modeling
How to model dynamic spoilage (e.g., post-opening, storage conditions) reliably?
Multi-User & Multi-Storage
How to support multi-user, multi-storage scenarios (multiple fridges, shared households)?
Regional Labeling
How to handle regional labeling differences (EU “use by” vs. US “best if used by”)?
Sustained Engagement
How to sustain engagement so users act on alerts and continue using the app?
Solving these interlinked challenges is central to creating a differentiated, high-value solution that drives waste reduction at scale.
Wasteless: Intelligent, Automated Food Inventory & Spoilage Prediction
Automatic Expiry Capture
Supports GS1 Digital Link QR codes, GTIN + batch lookup, and user-assisted quick entry.
Dynamic Spoilage Modeling
Tracks "opened" status and storage type, using USDA Food Keeper guidelines.
Multi-User Collaboration
Households share a "fridge profile," managing multiple spaces with synced devices.
Regional Label Intelligence
Built-in logic for EU "use by" vs. US labels, with educational tips.
Smart Notifications
Push alerts before spoilage, usage suggestions, and waste reduction metrics.
Wasteless combines automated data capture, dynamic modeling, collaborative UX, and educational guidance to deliver a truly frictionless and impactful waste-reduction tool.
Why Wasteless Stands Apart
Wasteless offers a comprehensive solution addressing key gaps in existing food tracking applications, providing superior automation, intelligence, and user experience.
Market Opportunity & Revenue Model
Market Size
  • Total Addressable Market (TAM) in US & EU: ~323M households.
  • Average wasted value: US ~$2,913/year; EU ~€2,000/year.
  • Emerging Markets (Urban Africa): Rapid smartphone adoption and high food price volatility.
Monetization Strategy
  • Freemium / Subscription: Free tier with basic features; Premium ($3–$5/month) for advanced analytics and family sharing.
  • In-App Sponsorships/Ads: Contextual coupons and eco-brand promotions.
  • Retailer/Manufacturer Partnerships: API licensing and anonymized spoilage trend insights.
  • Grants & ESG Funding: Leverage sustainability grants for early funding.
A sizeable market with proven willingness to pay for sustainability and money-saving tools, plus diverse revenue levers, underpins strong business prospects.
Path to Traction: Phased Rollout & Strategic Partnerships
1
Phase 1: MVP & Pilot (Months 0–6)
Deliver core features, pilot in US/EU urban markets, gather user feedback.
2
Phase 2: Scale & Partnerships (Months 6–18)
Onboard retailer/manufacturer partners, launch marketing campaigns, explore IoT integrations.
3
Phase 3: Geographic Expansion (Months 18–36)
Full EU localization, Africa rollout, enhance with AI, secure B2B licensing deals.
Our team comprises experts in mobile development, data integration, supply-chain, and sustainability. Advisors include food science experts, regulatory counsel, and marketing specialists. Key metrics include user acquisition, engagement, monetization, and partnerships.
Investment Opportunity & Next Steps
Funding Ask & Allocation
Seeking $1.5M in Seed funding.
  • Product Development & Engineering (40%)
  • User Acquisition & Marketing (30%)
  • Partnership Development & Compliance (15%)
  • Team Expansion & Operations (10%)
  • Contingency & Overhead (5%)
Projected Milestones with Funding
  • By Month 6: MVP live, 10k downloads.
  • By Month 12: 100k+ downloads, first premium subscribers.
  • By Month 18: 300k+ downloads, sustained retention, partnerships signed.
  • By Month 24: Expansion into EU & Africa pilots.
Return Potential & Exit Scenarios
  • Scalable SaaS-like margins with low marginal cost per user.
  • Strategic acquisition interest from food-tech, grocery, and smart-appliance makers.
  • ESG/Impact Investors: social/environmental ROI enhances valuation.
Why Now
Policy momentum (SDG 12.3 deadlines), strong consumer sustainability demand, and emerging QR/IoT

by Moses Abiodun

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