SpartanNash Adds More Flashfood Zones

Initiative to reduce food waste expands for 1st time into Nebraska and Iowa

2/8/2022

SpartanNash is adding the Flashfood initiative to more retail locations in the Midwest to help curb food waste and provide shoppers with deals.

SpartanNash, the first retailer to introduce the waste reduction program Flashfood in Michigan and Indiana, is expanding its partnership with the food waste solution provider. Through this expansion, 44 Family Fare and VG's Grocery stores in Michigan, Iowa and Nebraska will now offer deals on fresh foods that are nearing their best-by date.

Shoppers in these locations can purchase items on the Flashfood app and pick up their orders at a designated area inside the participating store. Offerings typically include produce, meat, dairy, bakery and some center-store packaged foods and snacks nearing the end of their shelf life.

Since it was piloted in select SpartanNash banners nearly two years ago, the Flashfood app has been used by more than 40,000 shoppers. According to information from the food solutions company, the program has diverted more than 180,000 pounds of food from landfills.

“We’re delighted to create food solutions for the communities and families we serve while keeping many food products near the end of their shelf life out of landfills,” said Amy McClellan, SVP and chief marketing officer for SpartanNash. “To lower shoppers’ grocery bills at a time when many are struggling with inflation costs, while also saving nutritious food from going to waste, is a win-win in our book.”

Added Josh Domingues, founder and CEO of Flashfood: "Food waste that ends up in landfill is a major contributor to climate change. This expansion allows us to tackle that problem, while also feeding families more affordably. We commend SpartanNash for its commitment to sustainability and look forward to serving these new communities together.”

SpartanNash’s core businesses include distributing grocery products to independent and chain retailers, its corporate-owned retail stores, and U.S. military commissaries and exchanges, as well as fresh produce distribution and fresh food processing. No. 39 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America, the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based company serves customer locations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Djibouti. SpartanNash also operates 146 supermarkets and employs 19,000 associates.