COIL Stories
B12Give:
Food redistribution app is transforming how retailers dispose of leftover food
B12Give (pronounced Be One To Give) provides the capacity and logistics for food retailers to ethically dispose of their leftovers by sending it to those in need. As a result of the education and mentorship provided in the COIL Evolve Pre-Accelerator program (COIL Evolve), B12Give has integrated further circular practices to ensure that nothing is wasted, and no unnecessary waste is generated. While working through the COIL Evolve curriculum, B12Give realized that there are always more ways to reduce waste and make everyday business practices more circular.
The Impact
Combating commercial food waste: B12Give provides the capacity and logistics to retailers so that redistributing leftover food is the first choice instead of throwing it away. With on-demand redistribution services and same-day delivery, food is immediately collected and distributed to the nearest community partner.
Providing helpful insights to food retailers about their waste: With their app, B12Give logs and track every order a retailer makes with them and every quarter they provide clients with an impact report. This outlines how much food is collected how many people are fed, how much methane gas is diverted, and can even help retailers determine more accurate orders from suppliers.
How they made it work
B12Give is currently piloting with two Ryerson University meal halls to rescue and redistribute leftover meals to the Good Food Centre on campus. B12Give is helping Ryerson create a closed loop within the campus to ensure that all the food that is collected from the halls will first go back to the students, then any remaining food is redistributed into the community. This collaboration is aiming to be a pilot for all universities across Canada to ensure that no food is going to waste, and no student is left hungry.
B12Give also implemented further waste reduction strategies wherever possible. They are working with a partner to transition from disposable aluminum trays to reusable plastic containers when transporting meals and ensuring that all labels are removable and recyclable. They are primarily using hybrid vehicles through car share to execute deliveries and operate within two-hour redistribution cycles to ensure all food is as fresh as possible.
“Look for opportunities where you can solve an everyday issue with a circular solution, they’re everywhere around you… I never anticipated ending up on this [circular] journey, so my advice to anyone is to just do it.” – Tony Colley, Founder/CEO of B12Give
