A digital marketplace has launched an app to redistribute surplus fresh produce to people rather than landfill.
Takestock is an e-commerce platform for the food industry, which recently expanded into fresh produce when its founders noticed 40 per cent of searches on the website were for fresh fruit and vegetables.
A major retailer is already considering using Takestock’s platform to partner with a household soup company to redistribute around 10 tonnes of mushroom stems a week. They would usually go to waste but the Takestock website has matched supply to demand, the company said.
The iOS development comes as last month Takestock launched an Android app to make distributing surplus food easier and more accessible. The company are in the final stages of developing the iOS app and expect this to be ready for download by the New Year.
CEO Campbell Murray said: “We want to help sellers reach buyers and buyers to get bargains, it is as simple as that.”
Screenshots from the iOS app courtesy of Campbell Murray
The app is free and can be used for everything from registration to the site, to making an offer and processing payments. Payment is made within five days and buyers have 24 hours to raise a dispute otherwise it is assumed they were happy. Takestock charges 15 per cent of what the seller received plus VAT. They have a three month introduction rate of eight per cent for fresh produce sellers only.
The food industry sends more than 600,000 tonnes of food to landfill a year, worth around £1 billion, said Murray, while farming and fresh produce adds another £4.5 billion in lost value.
Murray said: “Our focus for 2017 is to increase the number of buyers who use our service. We now have a good network of sellers who are ready to do business. Although 83 per cent of our customers are currently UK based there is lots of opportunity to expand. The food waste problem is far reaching and our service can help towards a solution.”
