Only two months since launch, Food (waste) Fighters bonapp.eco haul in just shy of €1 million

Having officially launched in early November of last year, Romanian startup bonapp.eco has raised €800,000 in a seed funding round. Taking on the troublesome issue of food waste, the service connects users with local grocery stores, restaurants, petrol stations, bakeries, coffee shops, and hotels and offers discounts of up to 80% off vittles that are approaching an expiration date.

With target 12.3 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals calling for a halving per capita of global food waste at retail and consumer levels by 2030, as well as reducing food losses along the production and supply chains bonapp.eco is sitting in what could be not only a rather socially responsible position but a lucrative one as well.

Still active only in their home market of Romania (hey, they’ve only been live for 2 months, learning to walk before they can run), the numbers are fairly impressive: 10,000+ users have downloaded the app, and the startup is reporting over 1,000 meals spared from the bins, and landing in hungry stomachs. All at an average selling price of €5.

And these aren’t second-rate foods that are being snapped up, as bonapp.eco reports partnerships established in Bucharest with Accor, Cora, foodpanda, PENNY Romania, Starbucks, and Up (formerly Chèque-Déjeuner), with further partnerships due to be announced later this quarter.

Bonapp.eco’s €800,000 seed funding round was led by France's Up (formerly Chèque-Déjeuner), with Romanian VCs Roca X and Early Game Ventures, and Hungary-based Impact Ventures.

“Consumers nowadays are becoming increasingly focused on the small actions they can take to improve the sustainability of their households. As a company focused on supporting Romanians’ daily lives, we are excited to invest in the bonapp.eco team as we are strongly aligned with the company’s responsible consumption mission,” commented Up Group’s Elena Pap. “We are impressed with bonapp.eco’s innovative digital business model, particularly as everyone wins – the food seller and buyer, but importantly also the environment. Through this investment, we look forward to helping bonapp.eco grow and expand its services nationally, so we can move closer to achieving zero food waste.”