Food Rescue Hero
Food Rescue Hero is a SaaS platform that coordinates volunteer-driven food rescue operations, licensed by 412 Food Rescue, Inc. to ~21 nonprofit partner organizations across the US and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersPittsburgh, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Food Rescue Hero does
Food Rescue Hero is a purpose-built SaaS platform developed and operated by 412 Food Rescue, Inc., a Pittsburgh-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015/2016. The platform coordinates end-to-end food rescue operations—matching surplus edible food from commercial donors to recipient nonprofit agencies via volunteer drivers—and is licensed to approximately 21 partner food rescue organizations across the United States and Canada. To date the platform has facilitated the rescue of 190 million+ pounds of food and engaged 63,000+ volunteers.
The platform's core product surface includes logistics coordination (real-time donor-to-recipient matching, route assignment, multi-stop rescue workflows launched 2024-08), mobile fundraising mechanics (per-rescue donation prompts with transaction fees), white-label branded partner apps, regulatory compliance modules (notably an SB-1383 reporting module for California-mandated food donor reporting), and environmental impact analytics (a CO2eq calculator launched 2023-12 using the ReFed methodology). Additional feature layers include Nonprofit Partner Maps (2023-11) and a surrounding ecosystem of Food Rescue University, a Knowledgebase, and an annual Food Rescue Conference.
The business model combines SaaS licensing (Basic and Premium tiers with 30- and 60-day onboarding respectively) with onboarding/professional services bundled into annual subscriptions and a secondary mobile fundraising revenue stream via per-rescue transaction fees. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The customer base is concentrated entirely within the nonprofit food rescue segment, with no disclosed enterprise anchors. The parent nonprofit structure means capital allocation prioritizes mission-driven scale over revenue maximization, with a lean team of ~10 employees supporting platform development, partner success, and ecosystem programming.
Food Rescue Hero firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Food Rescue Hero
- Legal name
- 412 Food Rescue, Inc.
- Website
- https://foodrescuehero.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Food Rescue Hero is a SaaS platform that coordinates volunteer-driven food rescue operations, licensed by 412 Food Rescue, Inc. to ~21 nonprofit partner organizations across the US and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Food Rescue Hero industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Food Rescue Operations Software
- NAICS
- Community Food Services (62421)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Emergency Food Assistance & Nutrition Response (BPADADAE)
Keywords
Where Food Rescue Hero is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pittsburgh
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Food Rescue Hero business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Platform Licensing (SaaS): Food Rescue Hero licenses its proprietary technology platform to food rescue organizations. Two tiers: Basic (fully operational in 30 days) and Premium (launch within 60 days with ongoing scaling support). The platform powers the organization's own operations (e.g., 412 Food Rescue) and is also licensed to partner organizations across North America.
- Professional Services & Onboarding: Comprehensive onboarding, training, and ongoing support provided as part of the platform offering. Includes Food Rescue Hero University, Knowledgebase access, and a dedicated Partner Success Team. These support services are bundled with platform licensing.
- Mobile Fundraising (per-rescue): Built-in mobile donation tools allow partner organizations to capture donations immediately after food rescues. The platform serves as a fundraising channel, converting volunteer engagement into revenue streams for partner organizations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Basic Tier — 30-day onboarding, core platform features |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium Tier — 60-day launch with sustained scaling support |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels11 records
Food Rescue Hero product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Food Rescue Hero licenses a proprietary SaaS platform to food rescue organizations that combines a dispatcher-facing web dashboard with a volunteer-facing mobile application to coordinate real-time food rescue operations. The platform automates volunteer scheduling and crowdsourcing, manages food donor and nonprofit distribution partner relationships, and generates impact reporting including CO2 emissions calculation using ReFed's methodology. It is sold under Basic (30-day onboarding) and Premium (60-day launch with scaling support) annual subscription tiers.
Product overview
Food Rescue Hero offers a unified SaaS platform for food rescue coordination comprising the core Food Rescue Hero Platform (web-based dispatcher dashboard) and Food Rescue Hero Mobile App (volunteer-facing application). These integrate with specialized modules including Nonprofit Partner Maps (map-based distribution site visualization), Multi-Stop Rescues (complex route coordination), CO2eq Environmental Impact Calculator (ReFed-based carbon offset tracking), SB-1383 Reporting Module (California compliance), and Request a Sub (volunteer substitution). The ecosystem is supported by Food Rescue University (educational resources) and the Food Rescue Hero Network (partner collective). The platform is licensed to food rescue organizations who adopt the technology to coordinate their operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Food Rescue Hero Platform A cloud-based SaaS platform licensed to food rescue organizations that combines a dispatcher-facing web dashboard with operational tooling to automate volunteer scheduling, manage food donor and nonprofit distribution partner relationships, coordinate real-time rescue dispatch, and generate impact reporting. Sold under annual Basic (30-day onboarding) and Premium (60-day launch with sustained scaling support) subscription tiers to food rescue and food recovery nonprofit organizations.
- Food Rescue Hero Mobile App A volunteer-facing mobile application that enables community volunteers to discover nearby surplus food rescues, claim routes, receive navigation instructions from pickup to delivery, track personal and collective impact, and request substitutes for claimed rescues. The app is white-labeled per partner organization (e.g., We Rescue for We Don't Waste, Second Helpings Atlanta, FeedTahoe, Potluck Food Rescue) and is distributed via Apple App Store and Google Play with zero-barrier onboarding for individual volunteers.
- Food Rescue Hero Partner Network A collective of 20+ food rescue and food recovery organizations across the United States and Canada that license the Food Rescue Hero platform and participate in shared best practices, peer referrals, and joint advocacy for food recovery. The network includes founding member 412 Food Rescue as well as Haven's Harvest, We Don't Waste, Chicago Food Rescue, Kentucky Harvest, Food Bank of Delaware, Second Helpings Atlanta, Potluck Food Rescue, Feed Tahoe, White Pony Express, Northern Virginia Food Rescue, My Father's Table, and others.
Quantifiable outcome
- 190M+ lbs of food rescued through the platform as of end of 2024
- +10 more outcomes
Companies that use Food Rescue Hero
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Food Rescue Hero technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature11 records
Food Rescue Hero partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Second Helpings AtlantacoreSecond Helpings Atlanta (Atlanta, GA) joined the Food Rescue Hero Network as a partner, adopting the Food Rescue Hero platform technology to coordinate food rescues, manage logistics, and report on their progress. The organization launched its own branded app (Second Helpings Atlanta) powered by Food Rescue Hero. The partnership was announced December 4, 2025.
- Potluck Food RescuecorePotluck Food Rescue (Little Rock, AR) joined as the 21st partner to adopt Food Rescue Hero's technology, enabling the organization to expand into areas it could not reach with its existing fleet and into 'off hours' previously missed due to lack of staff. The organization celebrated its 35-year anniversary in 2025.
- Feed TahoecoreFeed Tahoe (South Lake Tahoe, CA) joined as the 20th partner, powered by Food Rescue Hero technology. The organization addresses food insecurity for nearly 1 in 10 residents in the South Lake Tahoe region and is operated by the Marcella Foundation.
- Chicago Food RescuecoreChicago Food Rescue (Chicago, IL) joined as the 19th partner to adopt Food Rescue Hero's proprietary technology. Operates with no office, no fleet, and no warehouse — purely the Food Rescue Hero platform. Rescued 250,000+ pounds in its first year.
- My Father's TablecoreMy Father's Table (Minot, ND) joined as the 18th partner. North Dakota-based food rescue organization addressing food insecurity among 7.5% of children and 2.8% of seniors. Born after North Dakota's 2023 Good Samaritan Act amendment.
- We Don't WastecoreWe Don't Waste (Denver & Boulder, CO) joined as the 17th partner. Founded in 2009, it is one of Colorado's largest food recovery organizations and has rescued 200M servings of food since founding. Operates a branded app called 'We Rescue' powered by Food Rescue Hero.
- Haven's HarvestcoreHaven's Harvest (New Haven, CT) has been a Food Rescue Hero partner since 2020. Diverts 1.5M lbs/year for 3 consecutive years, totaling 10M+ lbs rescued. Distribution sites grew from 8 to 275+ using the platform. $55M+ in food value kept in communities since 2019.
- 412 Food Rescuecore412 Food Rescue is the originating nonprofit that built Food Rescue Hero. To this day, 412 Food Rescue continues to be actively operated by Food Rescue Hero / 412 Food Rescue, Inc. and serves as a major reference implementation for the platform. 412 Food Rescue rescued 4.4M lbs locally in Pittsburgh in 2023.
- Feeding AmericaminorFood Rescue Hero's leadership spoke at a Feeding America panel, which led Haven's Harvest to discover and adopt the platform.
- National Food Recovery Association (NFRA)minorNFRA launched as a coalition for food rescue professionals in 2025, announced on panels at two major food rescue events. Food Rescue Hero staff participated in the launch.
- Persad CenterminorPittsburgh-based nonprofit serving LGBTQIA+ community members. Receives food donations via 412 Food Rescue's network. Tony Kuhar, Facility & Operations Coordinator, provided testimonial about the value of food donations for LGBTQIA+ individuals facing elevated food insecurity.
- Stanford University (Research)minorStanford University conducted a study finding the Food Rescue Hero app offered a potential solution to intersecting crises of food waste and food insecurity, validating the platform's approach.
- University of Pittsburgh (Research)minorUniversity of Pittsburgh study found that in areas where the Food Rescue Hero platform was deployed, food insecurity significantly decreased and people had healthier diets.
- Grist (Media)minorGrist featured Food Rescue Hero in its Grist 50 list recognizing people and projects making the world a better place.
- Consumer Technology Association (CTA) / CESminorCTA awarded Food Rescue Hero a CES Innovation Award, recognizing the platform as a notable technology innovation.
Scale indicators21 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Food Rescue Hero competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Leanpath: Food waste tracking technology for commercial kitchens (hogger, AI-augmented measurement). Targets the food waste problem upstream in food service operations rather than via rescue logistics — partial overlap in impact reporting.
- Food Donation Connection: Food donation facilitation service that connects corporate food donors with recipient organizations. Smaller scope and more manual model than FRH's automated SaaS, but operates in the same donor-to-recipient coordination space.
Direct peers
- FoodCloud: Ireland-based food rescue technology platform connecting retailers with charities to redistribute surplus food. Closest business model parallel — a SaaS platform licensed to food rescue operations across multiple geographies.
- Spoiler Alert: Food waste management software for grocers and food manufacturers that includes donation workflow tools. Comparable vertical SaaS in food surplus recovery, with overlap in donor coordination and impact reporting.
- Meal Connect: Feeding America's national food donation platform connecting surplus food donors with food banks and pantries. The most direct competitor — both serve as digital coordination layers for food rescue logistics, though Meal Connect is offered free as part of the Feeding America network.
- Copia: Enterprise food recovery platform helping businesses donate surplus food to nonprofits via logistics coordination. Similar B2B SaaS positioning for food rescue, though focused upstream on donor-side rather than volunteer-driven logistics.
Broad incumbents
- FlashFood: Mobile app connecting consumers with discounted surplus groceries from retailers. Adjacent food rescue mission via consumer channel rather than nonprofit-licensed SaaS model.
- Too Good To Go: Consumer marketplace for surplus food from restaurants and stores. Operates at much larger scale with a for-profit B2C model, but addresses the same food waste problem via a different (consumer-driven) distribution mechanism.
- OLIO: UK-headquartered food sharing app connecting neighbors and businesses to redistribute surplus food. Addresses the same food waste / food insecurity intersection, but with a consumer-side model rather than nonprofit licensing.
Others
- Winnow: AI-driven food waste technology for commercial kitchens, focused on prevention rather than rescue. Adjacent category (food waste reduction) but distinct operational model — ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Food Rescue Hero social profiles
Digital presenceFood Rescue Hero financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Food Rescue Hero leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Food Rescue Hero funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Food Rescue Hero 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 Food Rescue Hero
What does Food Rescue Hero do?
Food Rescue Hero licenses a proprietary SaaS platform to food rescue organizations that combines a dispatcher-facing web dashboard with a volunteer-facing mobile application to coordinate real-time food rescue operations. The platform automates volunteer scheduling and crowdsourcing, manages food donor and nonprofit distribution partner relationships, and generates impact reporting including CO2 emissions calculation using ReFed's methodology. It is sold under Basic (30-day onboarding) and Premium (60-day launch with scaling support) annual subscription tiers.
Is Food Rescue Hero a public or private company?
Food Rescue Hero is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Food Rescue Hero founded?
Food Rescue Hero was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Food Rescue Hero based?
Food Rescue Hero is headquartered in Pittsburgh, United States, in the North America region.
How does Food Rescue Hero make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Platform Licensing (SaaS) is the primary driver. The others are professional Services & Onboarding and mobile Fundraising (per-rescue).
Who are Food Rescue Hero's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Leanpath and Food Donation Connection. Direct peers are FoodCloud, Spoiler Alert, Meal Connect and Copia. Broad incumbents are FlashFood, Too Good To Go and OLIO. Winnow is listed as an others.
Does Food Rescue Hero have an API?
No public API is recorded for Food Rescue Hero.
What industry is Food Rescue Hero in?
Food Rescue Hero's product category is Food Rescue Operations Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAAAD, Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding), with a secondary code of BPADADAE, Emergency Food Assistance & Nutrition Response. Its NAICS code is 62421.