FoodHero
FoodHero is a Montreal-based mobile marketplace that connects Canadian consumer households with 1,100+ grocery retailers to sell surplus perishable food at 25-60% discounts, earning revenue through transaction fees while reducing food waste.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What FoodHero does
FoodHero is a Montreal-based mobile marketplace that connects consumer households with grocery retailers to sell surplus perishable food at discounts of 25% to 60% off retail price, with the stated objective of reducing food waste. The company operates a consumer-facing mobile application available on iOS and Android, featuring a store locator (powered by StoreRocket), daily deal discovery, and an in-store pickup workflow. On the merchant side, FoodHero provides a dedicated console (console.foodhero.com) that enables grocery retailers to list and manage surplus inventory and pricing in real time. Distribution is anchored by partnerships with major Canadian grocery chains including Metro Inc. (Metro, IGA, Maxi, Super C), Walmart Canada, Safeway, Loblaw brands (No Frills), Thrifty Foods, Jean Coutu, Rachelle Béry, and Foodland, with the platform reportedly present in more than 1,100 grocery stores across Canada.
FoodHero generates revenue primarily through transaction fees or commissions on each surplus-food sale facilitated through the app. The consumer side is free, supported by a product-led growth motion including a Give $5 / Get $5 referral program and an affiliate program. The company markets through content, email newsletters, LinkedIn, and earned media tied to its annual Impact Report, and it reported diverting more than 7 million pounds of food from waste in 2025. The platform is Canada-only and the company is privately held, founder-led by CEO Jonathan Defoy, with disclosed funding activity limited to a 2022 round involving Hypercroissance Québec.
Operationally, FoodHero runs with a lean team of 1-10 employees, which is notable given its 1,100+ store footprint and multi-chain enterprise partnerships. The technology stack is described as a mobile-first marketplace platform rather than an AI- or data-science-intensive system: no proprietary AI/ML models, patents, certifications, or API integrations are disclosed. Competitive differentiation rests on a two-sided marketplace network of consumers and major grocery retailers, brand recognition as a Canadian pioneer in surplus food commerce since 2015, and accumulated proprietary data on surplus demand and consumer purchasing patterns across hundreds of locations.
FoodHero firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FoodHero
- Legal name
- FoodHero
- Website
- https://foodhero.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- FoodHero is a Montreal-based mobile marketplace that connects Canadian consumer households with 1,100+ grocery retailers to sell surplus perishable food at 25-60% discounts, earning revenue through transaction fees while reducing food waste.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FoodHero industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Surplus Food Marketplace
- NAICS
- Food and Beverage Retailers (445), All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298), Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers) (44511)
- SIC
- Retail-Food Stores (5400), Retail-Grocery Stores (5411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Grocery & Specialty Food Marketplaces (CRAFABAE)
Keywords
Where FoodHero is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montréal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
FoodHero business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel
Revenue model
- Transaction fee / Commission on surplus food sales: FoodHero generates revenue by facilitating transactions between grocery retailers and consumers through its mobile app. Consumers purchase surplus food at discounted rates (25-60% off), and FoodHero earns a transaction fee or commission on each sale. The model connects grocery retailers with consumers to reduce food waste while generating revenue from the transaction spread.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer discounts of 25% to 60% off retail price |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
FoodHero product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FoodHero operates a mobile application marketplace that connects grocery retailers with value-conscious consumers to sell surplus and near-expiry food inventory at discounts of 25-60% off retail price. Consumers browse, reserve, and pay for surplus food via the app and pick it up in-store at participating grocery locations. The company monetizes by charging a transaction commission on each completed sale and offers merchants a merchant portal/console for inventory management and AI-driven demand forecasting.
Product overview
FoodHero operates as a single-platform marketplace connecting grocery retailers with consumers through its mobile application. The core product is the FoodHero Mobile Application, which serves as the consumer-facing platform for discovering and purchasing surplus food at discounts ranging from 25% to 60%. Supporting the consumer app is the Merchant Portal, which enables grocery partners (including Metro Inc., IGA, Safeway, Rachelle Béry, Foodland, ThriftyFoods, and others) to list surplus inventory and manage deals. Additional features include a Store Locator for finding nearby participating stores, a Referral Program offering $5 credits for both referrer and referee, and an Affiliate Program for community sharing. The platform is present in more than 1,100 grocery stores across Canada.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- FoodHero Mobile Application Consumer-facing iOS and Android app that lets value-conscious shoppers discover, reserve, and pay for surplus or near-expiry grocery items at discounts of 25-60% off retail, then pick them up in-store at participating grocery locations. A built-in store locator helps users find the nearest participating stores.
- FoodHero Merchant Portal Web-based merchant portal/console used by grocery retailers to list surplus and near-expiry inventory, configure discount levels, manage pickups, and leverage AI-powered demand forecasting to optimize sell-through of short-shelf-life SKUs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 7 million pounds of food diverted from waste in 2025
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use FoodHero
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
FoodHero technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
FoodHero partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Metro Inc.coreMetro Inc. is one of the major grocery chain partners of FoodHero. Their logo appears on the FoodHero website as a participating merchant. Metro stores across Canada participate in the FoodHero surplus food program, allowing consumers to purchase discounted surplus products through the FoodHero app.
- IGA (Québec)coreIGA (Québec) is a major grocery chain partner of FoodHero. Their logo appears prominently on the FoodHero website as a participating merchant. IGA stores participate in offering surplus products at discounted rates through the FoodHero platform.
- SafewaycoreSafeway is a participating grocery chain partner of FoodHero. Their logo appears on the FoodHero website alongside other major retailers, indicating an active partnership for surplus food sales through the app.
- Thrifty FoodscoreThrifty Foods is a participating grocery chain partner of FoodHero. The partnership enables Thrifty Foods customers to access surplus products at discounted prices through the FoodHero mobile app.
- Rachelle BéryminorRachelle Béry is an independent grocery retailer partner of FoodHero. Their logo appears on the FoodHero website indicating participation in the surplus food program.
- FoodlandminorFoodland is an independent grocery retailer partner of FoodHero. The partnership allows Foodland stores to list surplus inventory on the FoodHero platform.
- MaxicoreMaxi (a Metro Inc. brand) is a participating grocery chain partner of FoodHero. Maxi stores participate in offering surplus products at discounted rates through the FoodHero app.
- Super CcoreSuper C is a participating grocery chain partner of FoodHero. Their logo appears on the FoodHero website indicating active partnership for surplus food sales.
- Jean CoutuminorJean Coutu is a pharmacy and convenience retailer partner of FoodHero. While primarily a pharmacy chain, they participate in the FoodHero program through their grocery offerings.
- Walmart CanadacoreWalmart Canada is a participating grocery partner of FoodHero. Their logo appears on the FoodHero website, indicating partnership for surplus food sales through the platform.
- No FrillscoreNo Frills (a Loblaw brand) is a participating grocery partner of FoodHero. The partnership enables discounted surplus food sales at No Frills locations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
FoodHero competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Misfits Market: Online retailer selling surplus and 'ugly' produce, proteins, and grocery items at discount via subscription. Overlaps with FoodHero's value-and-sustainability value proposition for surplus food.
- Olio: UK-based food sharing app combining peer-to-peer food sharing with a marketplace for surplus food from businesses. Overlaps with FoodHero on the grocery surplus commerce model but emphasizes community sharing.
- Imperfect Foods: US-based online grocer specializing in surplus and cosmetically imperfect produce and grocery items. Competes for the same value-conscious, food-waste-motivated consumer as FoodHero, though via delivery rather than in-store pickup.
Direct peers
- Flashfood: Canadian-headquartered mobile marketplace connecting grocery retailers with consumers for surplus food at deep discounts. Closest direct competitor to FoodHero, operating in Canada and the US with major grocery chain partnerships.
- Karma: Mobile marketplace for surplus food from restaurants and grocery stores, allowing businesses to sell excess inventory at discounted prices. Directly competes with FoodHero on the surplus food commerce model.
- Too Good To Go: Global leader in the surplus food app category, operating in 17+ countries across Europe and North America. Same two-sided marketplace model connecting consumers with surplus food from grocery and food service businesses.
Others
- Instacart: North American online grocery marketplace connecting consumers with retailers for delivery and pickup. While focused on full-price fulfillment rather than surplus, it operates in the same grocery e-commerce infrastructure layer and could expand into discount/surplus flows.
Broad incumbents
- Loblaw Companies: Canada's largest grocery retailer (owner of No Frills, Loblaws, Maxi). Currently a FoodHero channel partner, but its scale, in-house digital capabilities, and PC Optimum ecosystem position it as a potential direct competitor or disintermediator.
- Metro Inc. Major Canadian grocery retailer (Metro, IGA, Super C, Maxi) and core FoodHero channel partner. Has the scale to build proprietary surplus food solutions, creating both partnership upside and competitive risk for FoodHero.
- Walmart Canada: Canadian arm of the world's largest retailer and a current FoodHero partner. Its massive grocery footprint and digital investment capacity make it both the most valuable partner and a structural threat if it internalizes surplus food tooling.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
FoodHero social profiles
Digital presenceFoodHero financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FoodHero leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
FoodHero funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FoodHero M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about FoodHero
What does FoodHero do?
FoodHero operates a mobile application marketplace that connects grocery retailers with value-conscious consumers to sell surplus and near-expiry food inventory at discounts of 25-60% off retail price. Consumers browse, reserve, and pay for surplus food via the app and pick it up in-store at participating grocery locations. The company monetizes by charging a transaction commission on each completed sale and offers merchants a merchant portal/console for inventory management and AI-driven demand forecasting.
Is FoodHero a public or private company?
FoodHero is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was FoodHero founded?
FoodHero was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is FoodHero based?
FoodHero is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does FoodHero make money?
One revenue line is on record: transaction fee / Commission on surplus food sales.
Who are FoodHero's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Misfits Market, Olio and Imperfect Foods. Direct peers are Flashfood, Karma and Too Good To Go. Instacart is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Loblaw Companies, Metro Inc. and Walmart Canada.
Does FoodHero have an API?
No public API is recorded for FoodHero.
What industry is FoodHero in?
FoodHero's product category is Surplus Food Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFABAE, Grocery & Specialty Food Marketplaces. Its NAICS code is 445 and its SIC code is 5400.