FoodObox

What FoodObox does

FoodObox is a Sofia-headquartered, for-profit private company founded in 2021 by Jane Dimitrova and Velin Kerkov. It operates a two-sided marketplace mobile and web platform — iOS/Android apps, a browser-based web app, and a partner admin portal — that connects individual consumers with neighborhood food businesses to sell surplus food via discounted "surprise boxes" (minimum 40% off the original retail price, content revealed only at pickup). The platform currently lists 500+ partner stores spanning independent bakeries, restaurants, coffee shops, vegan and ethnic-cuisine operators, and major Bulgarian retailers including Kaufland and LIDL, served by 100,000+ registered users.

The platform's technology stack is a standard marketplace/middleware layer rather than an AI-driven system: consumers discover and reserve boxes via a self-serve mobile or web interface, partner stores onboard and manage listings through the admin portal, and transactions are completed on pickup with payment collected on-site via card, cash, or food voucher. No API, SDK, or public developer integration has been disclosed, and AI/ML capabilities are not present in the documented product surface.

On the commercial side, FoodObox generates revenue by acting as a broker/middleware between food sellers and buyers, taking a commission on each surprise-box transaction. Pricing is strictly transaction-based with no subscription or delivery option — pickup is mandatory during designated store windows. The company is funded primarily by local Bulgarian venture capital (Innovation Capital led rounds totaling roughly 310,000 EUR, with later participation from BEYOND), holds a registered trademark, and is recognized as a leading sustainability/ESG brand in Bulgaria via multiple awards (BAIT Startup of '22, Forbes 30 Under 30, Entrepreneurs World Cup 2022). Geographic reach spans five Bulgarian cities (Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Ruse) and Bucharest, Romania.

Name

FoodObox

Legal name

FoodObox 2021 EOOD

Website

https://foodobox.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FoodObox is a Sofia-headquartered marketplace platform that lets Bulgarian and Romanian consumers reserve and pick up surplus food from 500+ partner stores — including independent bakeries, restaurants, and retailers like Kaufland — in surprise boxes discounted by at least 40%.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surplus Food Marketplace

NAICS

Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSACAGAB

Drop-Off Catering & Boxed Meals

Home & Personal Services/Event & Personal Concierge Services/Catering Coordination & Food Service (Non-restaurant)

SECONDARYAFAIANAA

Meal Kits & Recipe Box Subscriptions

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Distribution & Wholesale/Direct-to-Consumer Food Distribution

Keywords

• Surplus food marketplace
• Food waste reduction
• Surprise food boxes
• Restaurant inventory recovery
• Discounted meal platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Sofia

HQ country

Bulgaria

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Transaction Commission / Marketplace Commission: Foodobox acts as a broker/middleware between food sellers and buyers. A commission is earned on each box reservation and payment is collected at pickup. Sellers receive income from otherwise wasted surplus food; Foodobox takes a cut of each transaction.
2. Surprise Box Sales: Boxes are sold to consumers at a minimum 40% discount from the original store price. Revenue is collected at the point of pickup via card or cash.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FoodObox operates a self-serve mobile and web marketplace connecting consumers with surplus food from local partner stores and restaurants at a minimum 40% discount. Users reserve surprise boxes of unsold food through the app or web application, then collect and pay for them on-site at the partner store during a designated pickup window. The platform sits between food businesses (which list surplus inventory) and end consumers, taking a transaction commission on each reserved box.

Product overview

FoodObox is a food waste reduction platform consisting of three interconnected products: a consumer-facing mobile application (iOS and Android), a web application for browser-based access, and a partner platform for businesses to list surplus food. The platform connects consumers with local stores and restaurants offering surplus food at minimum 40% discount through surprise box bookings, enabling food rescue while generating additional revenue for partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FoodObox Mobile Application Consumer-facing iOS and Android app that lets users discover, reserve, and pay for surprise boxes of surplus food at a minimum 40% discount from nearby partner stores and restaurants. Users set their address, browse available boxes, book and pay by card, and pick up the reserved box from the store during its pickup window.
• FoodObox Web Application Browser-based version of the Foodobox platform that lets consumers save surplus food directly from desktop or laptop, providing cross-platform accessibility alongside the mobile app and featuring a refreshed design.
• FoodObox Partner Platform Self-serve merchant portal that allows food businesses (restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, grocery stores) to register, list surplus food as surprise boxes, and have them reserved and purchased by consumers via the Foodobox apps.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ users saving minimum 40% on surplus food meals

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and minor.

• KauflandflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2025Largest Bulgarian retailer partnered with Foodobox. Four K-locations in Sofia offer surplus food boxes daily from 13:00 to 20:00 at info points. Three box types available: sweet treats, staple food products, and beverages. All boxes offer minimum 40% discount. Payment accepted on-site by card, cash, or food vouchers.
• LIDLminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 August 2024Joint sustainability campaign with LIDL's Reload recycling initiative. Content promoting LIDL's recycling program and Foodobox's surplus food saving service together.
• Continental restaurant & barminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRestaurant in Varna offering surplus prepared dishes via Foodobox at 40% discount. Available for breakfast, lunch, and Saturday brunch.
• Furna BakeryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBakery located in the center of Sofia near the National Palace of Culture, offering surplus baked goods via Foodobox.
• Loving HutminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVegan restaurant founded by Gergana and Krasimir in 2015, offering surplus vegan dishes via Foodobox platform.
• Social Rabbit BakeryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSmall bakery in central Sofia offering brownies and carrot cakes via Foodobox surprise boxes.
• Deli VenueminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndian restaurant in Sofia offering surplus traditional Indian cuisine as surprise boxes at discount via Foodobox.
• LATE Café & RoasteryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmblematic specialty coffee destination in Sofia with strong eco-friendly ethos, offering surplus coffee products via Foodobox surprise boxes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Too Good To Go: Global leader in surplus food marketplaces, operating a near-identical surprise-bag model via mobile app across Europe and beyond. Most directly comparable competitor, though with vastly greater scale and capital.
• Olio: UK-based app for sharing surplus food between neighbors and businesses. Comparable dual-sided marketplace model, but emphasizes peer-to-peer food sharing rather than retail partner pickup.
• Karma: Sweden-origin surplus food marketplace selling unsold restaurant and store meals at discount via app. Closely mirrors Foodobox's surprise-bag model with restaurant/store partners and pickup.
• Phenix: French surplus food marketplace connecting retailers, caterers, and restaurants with consumers. Operates the same core model as Foodobox across France and select European markets.
• ResQ Club: Finnish surplus meal marketplace with restaurant partner pickups, serving the Nordics. Direct functional equivalent to Foodobox in a different European geography.
• SirPlus: German surplus food retailer and online store selling overstocked and near-expiry food. Comparable mission and discount model, though retail-led rather than marketplace-led.
• FoodCloud: Irish social enterprise redistributing surplus food to charities and consumers via a tech platform. Comparable surplus-food marketplace infrastructure, with stronger nonprofit orientation.

Regional players

• Flashfood: Canadian surplus grocery marketplace partnering with major supermarket chains to sell near-expiry food at discount. Mirrors Foodobox's retail-partnership approach but operates only in North America.
• NoFoodWaste: Dutch app for rescuing surplus meals from restaurants and bakeries. Closely comparable pickup-based surplus model, but limited to the Netherlands.

Others

• Winnow Solutions: B2B kitchen waste analytics provider for commercial food operators. Not a consumer marketplace but addresses the same food-waste problem on the supply side; potential partner or adjacent player.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_Ta0hJ_8p4Mj3P2Y4VAnRw
• Facebookfacebook.com/Thefoodobox
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foodoboxltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/foodo.box

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FoodObox