In food retail, efficiency is measured in cents. With net margins ranging between a tight 2% and 4%, any loss takes on dramatic proportions. According to Lucas Infante, CEO of Food To Save, it consumes, on average, 1% of the networks’ gross revenue – which, in practice, can represent the destruction of up to a third of the operations’ net profit. It is in this “financial drain” that foodtech found its growth thesis.
Founded in 2021, the Brazilian startup operates as a marketplace for food surplus – a product in perfect usable condition that remained on the shelf or in stock because no one came to buy it. The model connects establishments that have products close to their expiration date or out of aesthetic standard with consumers interested in discounts of up to 70% with a difference: the items are sold in “Surprise Bags”.
The format ensures that the store owner can dispose of what is left on the day without the need for a complex unit inventory in the app.
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In 2025, Food To Save generated R$31 million in incremental revenue for its partners.
According to the CEO of Food To Save, the impact of his business goes beyond the sale of surplus. In addition to converting a certain loss into a new sales opportunity, the platform ends up functioning as a traffic generator for partner establishments.
“Around 60% of orders are made for pickup at the store, and more than half of these consumers end up purchasing an additional product at the establishment”, revealed Infante in an exclusive interview with InfoMoney.
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Financial projections for 2026
After closing 2025 with a turnover of R$160 million, Food To Save projects a robust leap for 2026: reaching R$220 million.
To sustain this growth, the company decided to suspend expansion plans for Latin America, focusing on gaining density in the cities where it already operates. The model is asset-light: logistics are 100% outsourced via API, allowing the startup to focus on developing the technology and expanding the partner base.
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“Surplus”, not “remainder”
For Food To Save, education has been its tool over the past few years. Infante admits to being strict when combating pejorative terms that can hurt the image of foodtech and even partner brands. “Rest is what is left on the plate, often inappropriate. Leftover is a term more linked to the countryside. We work with surplus food”, he defines.
The strategy aims to make it clear that the product is suitable for consumption and was merely a “victim” of a demand forecast error.
To break through the initial barrier of distrust from both consumers and retailers, Food To Save focused on attracting sector giants to give authority to the business. According to Infante, the entry of names like Cacau Show, Grupo CRM (Kopenhagen and Brasil Cacau), GPA (Pão de Açúcar and Extra) and St Marche was the turning point.
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“In the beginning, we suffered with the small business market. When we turned the cannon on large accounts, the game changed. It’s the win-win effect: if the big brands trust them, the entire ecosystem feels safe to join”, explains the executive.
Currently, the network already has more than 5 thousand partner establishments, spread across 118 Brazilian cities, 14 of which are capital cities.
