Save Lunch App for Donating Leftover Food
A mobile app that connects donors and recipients of food that would otherwise be thrown away.
.jpg)
Project Overview
The Czech non-profit organization Save Food operates the Save Lunch project, which aims to effectively connect canteens with charities to help prevent food waste.
Etnetera Flow supports this project by developing a mobile application featuring two dedicated interfaces—one for canteens, and another for charities. The app allows canteens to easily fill in information about the donated meal according to hygienic requirements and schedule the pickup, while charities receive notifications about donations, enabling them to plan pickups efficiently.
The app streamlines food redistribution, reducing waste and providing essential support to those in need. Our CEO's interview explains why we decided to support this project.
Highlights of the Collaboration
- Replaced the original solution, which no longer met the project’s requirements, with Flutter cross-platform framework
- Design and implementation of the application database for data management and secure storage.
- Design and implementation of a serverless backend for a maintenance-free and scalable application operation.
- Integration with a logistics company for efficient coordination of food pickups.
Project Challenges and Objectives
Provided Solution
Multiplatform development with Flutter
The application was developed using Flutter, a cross-platform framework by Google that enables deployment on iOS, Android, and web platforms with a single codebase. Flutter accelerated development and allowed us to seamlessly extend the solution for creating web interfaces.
Firebase for data management
We utilise Firebase for data storage and synchronisation across user devices. Firebase ensures secure data storage and high availability, which is crucial for managing information about donated portions.
Backend integration with courier service
The backend system manages the integration with DODO, a courier service. When a canteen submits a donation, the system automatically generates a request to DODO and coordinates the logistics and transport of the donated food.
Efficient communication between user and system components
The application and backend communicate in real time, ensuring seamless interaction between canteens, charities, and courier services.
The rapid exchange of data and notifications enables effective planning of food donations and pickups.
Results
We took over the project and chose the most efficient solution for further development. Using Flutter allowed us to complete the project in a shorter timeframe and at a lower cost. Flutter also enabled the efficient development of the web interface, which is crucial for the new group of users – primarily school canteens.
During the first week, 443 portions of leftover food were transported to charities.
Now, on average, around 147 meals a day are saved.
There are currently 23 donors and 22 charities involved in the project.
Current App Features
- Overview for canteens: The canteen has a complete overview of what and how much food it has donated, including details such as the type of food, and compliance with hygiene regulations (allergens, temperature etc.).
- Registration of donated food: The canteen enters information about the food it is donating, including the number of portions.
- Courier service communication interface: The integration optimizes planning, ensuring seamless and efficient deliveries.
- Push notifications: The charity receives notifications about the prepared donation of food.
Let’s make something great
We are here to help you.
