In 2009, supermarket revenues hit $556 billion while restaurant industry sales were projected to reach $580 billion in 2010. However, millions of tons of food are wasted each year by supermarkets and restaurants, with food products making up 63% of supermarket waste. FoodLinked aims to connect the existing food supply from grocers, restaurants, and other sources with the existing demand from soup kitchens, food banks, and NGOs by acting as an information broker that leverages technologies to allow suppliers to easily provide details on excess food and connect recipients who can sign up for alerts about available surplus food nearby.

2. Food Surplus In 2009, supermarkets revenues hit $556 billion Restaurant industry sales will reach $580 billion in 2010 Food products (cakes, breads, dented cans/boxes, fruits and vegetables) make up 63% of a supermarket’s disposed waste Millions of tons of food are wasted in restaurants each year

3. The Missing Link There’s an existing supply of food: grocers, restaurants, food wholesalers and cafés There’s existing demand for food: soup kitchens, food banks, NGOs The disconnect is real-time information because of varying supply, product perishibility and limited window for surplus management

4. What if… You as a restaurant owner could send a text message to one number with information on what’s available, how much and for how much longer it will be around? You’re a soup kitchen and you could sign-up for text message alerts to receive information within a 5 mile radius that there was excess food available?

5. FoodLinked’s Concept to End Hunger FoodLinked is an information broker—leveraging existing infrastructure, communications and technologies of hunger organizations Using a mobile accessible, cloud-based service, FoodLinked connects supply and demand Work within existing workflow of supply side--making entering food supply information quick and easy Enhance services—maps and recommended routes to optimize food pick-up Added benefits: quarterly tax benefit reports to repeat suppliers, badges for business to post on storefront to show participation in movement

6. FoodLinked is… AnupAkkihal, MS AmanBhandari, PhD David Haddad, MSc JaspalSandhu, PhD