NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) terminated a $400,000 Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) grant awarded to the City of New Orleans in April 2024. The grant was intended to expand composting infrastructure and food waste reduction initiatives such as Compost NOW and Schmelly’s Dirt Farm which are collaborating with the city on this initiative.
“We were disappointed to learn that the USDA has canceled a $400K grant intended to expand composting access in New Orleans—an initiative we hoped would reduce food waste, support our circular economy goals, and empower local growers,” said the New Orleans Office of Resilience & Sustainability. “Despite this setback, our commitment to building a more sustainable, resilient, and just waste system remains strong. We’re moving forward with the development of a Solid Waste Master Plan and a Circular Economy Manager position to lead this work.”
The USDA has also cut $500 million from the Emergency Food Assistance Program, reducing food availability at food banks across the country and has cancelled approximately $1 billion in funding for the Local Food Purchase Assistance and Local Food for Schools programs.
One way that New Orleans residents can address food waste while also saving money on groceries is to utilize the “Too Good to Go” app, the world’s largest marketplace for surplus food.
Too Good to Go
Too Good To Go will officially launch in New Orleans and Baton Rouge on May 21, offering residents a new way to access discounted food while helping local businesses reduce waste. The app connects consumers with stores that have excess food nearing the end of its shelf life, allowing users to purchase “Surprise Bags” at a fraction of the original retail price.
As of 2024, Too Good To Go had more than 100 million registered users worldwide and operates in 19 countries across Europe and North America. The platform works with over 175,000 active business partners—including supermarkets, convenience stores, and food retailers—to reduce food waste by making surplus items available to consumers at discounted prices.
Unlike restaurant-focused food recovery efforts, Too Good To Go centers on surplus items from grocery stores, convenience outlets, and other food retailers. The contents of each Surprise Bag vary but typically include edible, unsold items that would otherwise be discarded due to approaching sell-by dates.
Participating businesses list Surprise Bags daily through the app. Users reserve and pay via the platform, then pick up their orders from stores during designated time windows.
Kong Lim, owner of Sambath’s Donuts & Thai Food in Baton Rouge, stated, “I heard about the app from a customer. I think it’s a great way for me to make a bit of extra money instead of just throwing the food away and wasting it. I have a lot of LSU students come in for the bags.”
Already active in major markets globally, Too Good To Go enters Louisiana with established partnerships, including national brands like Whole Foods and Krispy Kreme. As new local stores join the platform, residents in New Orleans and Baton Rouge are encouraged to check the app frequently for updated Surprise Bag offerings.
LSU sophomore Lily Nguyen shared her experience: “I started using the app because I saw someone on TikTok doing a surprise bag review from Whole Foods. I saw that Sambath’s was a part of it so now I’m able to get my breakfast for a low price while also helping the environment.”
In the United States, the company has expanded into over 27 major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco.
Too Good To Go was founded in 2015 in Copenhagen, Denmark, by Thomas Bjørn Momsen, Stian Olesen, Klaus Bagge Pedersen, Adam Sigbrand, and Brian Christensen, who sought to address the growing problem of food waste, initially focusing on buffet surplus. In 2016, French entrepreneur Lucie Basch joined the team and played a key role in launching the platform in France, helping to grow its international footprint. Jamie Crummie and Chris Wilson helped introduce Too Good To Go to the United Kingdom, further accelerating its expansion across Europe.
In 2017, Mette Lykke, co-founder of the fitness tracking app Endomondo, became CEO. Based in Copenhagen, Lykke brought extensive entrepreneurial experience and has led the company’s global growth.
In North America, Chris MacAulay serves as the Country Director for the United States and Canada. He is based in Virginia and oversees the platform’s expansion across the region.
