A New York-based startup called Hungryroot is going to reduce food waste using artificial intelligence.
The American 9-year-old company —
is providing a more curated experience and delivering the precise amount of food a consumer will use.
The company said these processes help lead to 80% less food waste at its facilities compared with a traditional supermarket.
Customers answer a slew of questions about their food likes and dislikes, allergies and health goals. They also answer questions on how and when they cook. Taking those answers, Hungryroot’s technology infers what recipes and grocery items are best for each customer.
“Hungryroot is entirely designed to give you just the foods that you’re going to need for your week,” Ben McKean, the company’s CEO, told CNBC. “And it gives you simple recipes, so you know exactly what to do with them, and as a result, food waste with our customers is significantly reduced.”
Hungryroot sends users a list of what’s in their weekly cart, allowing them to approve or change items.
The company can reduce its own waste as well. If it determines that a user has no preference between broccoli and Brussels sprouts, and the company happens to have more broccoli in its warehouse, that’s what they’ll recommend.
Investors say the unique model is also good for its bottom line.
“They have been profitable for three or four years now, which is unusual for a lot of these e-commerce, food businesses,” said Jeremy Liew, a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners. “They’ve been able to drive that through efficiency of spend, and because they have built a business that customers really love.”