Article re-cap
- Consumers across Cape Town and other South African cities saved a collective R12.5m on groceries over the past year using Refreshi.
- The Refreshi platform has rescued approximately 200,000 meals from landfill since its launch in March 2025.
- Participating retailers recovered more than R10m from surplus food sales through the mobile app.
- Refreshi estimates its operations prevented approximately 500,000kg of carbon dioxide emissions and conserved 120 million litres of water.
The food surplus platform Refreshi reported that consumers across Cape Town and other South African cities saved a collective R12.5m on groceries over the past year.
Launched in Stellenbosch in March 2025, the mobile app allows users to purchase discounted Surprise Bags containing surplus food from bakeries, restaurants, and grocery stores. Users buy these bags online and collect them during scheduled windows.
The platform now serves more than 200,000 registered users across Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Gqeberha, George, and Mossel Bay. Participating retailers recovered more than R10m from surplus food sales, according to the company's first Grocery Savings Impact Report.
Refreshi says the platform has rescued around 200,000 meals from landfill since its launch. The company estimates this prevented approximately 500,000kg of carbon dioxide emissions, conserved 120 million litres of water, and saved more than 400,000m² of agricultural land.
The startup attributes growth to demand from consumers looking to reduce grocery costs and retailers seeking to recover value from surplus stock. The company also operates the Refreshi Exchange, a business-to-business platform for manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to move surplus inventory before expiry.
Industry estimates cited in the report indicate that South Africa discards approximately R61.5bn worth of food annually, with around 10.3 million tonnes of edible food ending up in landfill. Refreshi expects to expand its network to more than 2,000 participating stores over the next year.
Frequently asked questions
What is Refreshi and how does it work in Cape Town?
Refreshi is a mobile app launched in March 2025 that lets Cape Town consumers buy discounted Surprise Bags of surplus food from bakeries, restaurants, and grocery stores. Users purchase bags online and collect them during scheduled collection windows, saving money while reducing food waste.
How much money have Cape Town consumers saved through Refreshi?
According to Refreshi's first Grocery Savings Impact Report, consumers across Cape Town and other South African cities saved a collective R12.5 million on groceries over the past year since the platform's launch.
What environmental impact has Refreshi had locally?
Since launching in March 2025, Refreshi has rescued approximately 200,000 meals from landfill. The platform estimates this prevented around 500,000kg of carbon dioxide emissions, conserved 120 million litres of water, and saved more than 400,000m² of agricultural land.
How many stores in Cape Town participate in Refreshi?
Refreshi currently serves more than 200,000 registered users across Cape Town and six other South African cities through participating retailers. The company plans to expand its network to more than 2,000 participating stores over the next year.
How much value have retailers recovered through Refreshi?
Participating retailers have recovered more than R10 million from surplus food sales through the Refreshi platform since its launch in March 2025, according to the company's Grocery Savings Impact Report.
Source: bizcommunity.com
