Replate uses a web-based app that allows donors, such as restaurants, tech companies, vendors and distributors, to sign up and schedule one-time or recurring food pickups to redistribute to homeless shelters and other nonprofits.
Channeling his childhood food runs, Mahfoud began collecting food leftover from local company meetings and other events. He then worked with homeless shelters and other nonprofits to determine which surrounding communities would benefit from the surpluses. In 2016, Mahfoud founded Replate, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that manages food donations by matching organizations and businesses with the appropriate nonprofits.
Replate issues sustainability reports that let clients see how many pounds of food were recovered, the number of meals created and the amount carbon dioxide diverted. “It’s a very seamless process,” said Mahfoud. Since YSA and its donors have had refrigeration on both sites, the nonprofit has redistributed meals like paninis, burgers and salads.
Businesses that generate food waste are grouped into Tier 1 and Tier 2 classifications. SB 1383 took effect this past January for Tier 1 members, which include wholesale food vendors, food service providers, distributors and grocery stores of more than 10,000 square feet. The ordinance will not go into effect for Tier 2 members, such as hotels and restaurants with more than 250 seats, until January 1, 2024.