A South African social enterprise is answering government’s call for collaborative solutions to improve access to nutritious food by connecting shoppers with surplus stock nearing its sell-by date – discounted up to 65%.
Steffen Burrows, Still Good CEO, one of four co-founders. Image supplied
Launched in May, Still Good has helped shoppers reduce grocery bills by close to R4m in six months while reducing retailers’ food waste costs.
Their web platform connects shoppers with access to discounted nutritious groceries close to sell-by date, from more than 80 Pick n Pay, Spar and Food Lovers Market franchise and corporate stores and independent retailers across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Free State and North West.
“We are helping South Africans beat food price inflation over the past six years – a remarkable achievement when you consider that 63.5% of households in South Africa experience food insecurity according to the Human Sciences Research Council’s Food and Nutrition Security Survey,” said Steffen Burrows, Still Good CEO, who is one of four co-founders.
Beyond hunger, the deaths of 1,000 children each year are attributed to preventable acute malnutrition, with 2.7 million children under six living in households unable to meet their basic nutritional needs.
Still Good hopes to change this, offering customers Value Bags - surprise bundles of grocery items from fresh produce, bakery items to dry groceries that are still good to eat but at risk of going to waste as their sell-by date approaches. For food safety reasons, meat and deli items are not sold.
“We sell 95% of the available bags offered for sale on our web platform. Some stores sell 50 bags in two minutes - we can’t keep up with demand,” Burrows said. Most regular shoppers buy twice a week - if they can get a bag in time. “The fastest way to secure one is to join the Still Good WhatsApp channel in your region for instant notifications when new Value Bags are listed.”
Still Good’s growing community of shoppers includes families stretching their grocery budgets and others purchasing bags to donate.
“The platform displays both the normal retail price and the discounted price, with secure payments processed via Yoco. Customers collect bags in-store during a designated pick-up window, usually near the end of the day.” Still Good users can track their total savings, with one customer from Kenilworth in Cape Town saving over R40,000 in six months.
Johannesburg resident Chanté-Leigh Hendricks has been buying Still Good Value Bags from her local Randburg Spar since July.
“My family loves the element of surprise - opening a bag in anticipation, not knowing what will be inside. I’ve also tapped into my creative side learning to cook what we receive. I resonate with what the brand stands for - eating well while saving money and reducing waste,” she said.
An established concept overseas, Still Good pioneered a pure retail model as this is where South Africa’s biggest waste problem lies, explained Burrows. “Previously, previously much of this stock was wasted, taking up valuable municipal landfill airspace that is close to capacity in South Africa.”
As a social enterprise, Still Good donates 10% of its earnings to feed the hungry through partnerships with SA Harvest and other food banks.
