Behind Supermarket Shelves, Food Is Expiring Fast. One Startup Is Trying to Catch It in Time
As supermarkets quietly absorb losses and families stretch food budgets, a new app is stepping into a system that has been leaking value for years
Kenya’s first innovative food app, Msossi, is set to launch this month with the aim of connecting stores with consumers to sell surplus and near-expiry food items at significantly discounted prices.
The app is designed to allow restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels to list excess food for quick sale. This approach seeks to reduce the large volumes of food wasted each year, while offering affordable options to consumers and minimising financial losses for businesses.
Kenya faces a critical food waste challenge, with an estimated 30 to 40 percent of all food produced lost to spoilage and expiry annually. Msossi seeks to address this problem through a digital marketplace for discounted food packs that promotes sustainability while delivering cost savings for both consumers and retailers.
“With Kenya losing up to 40 percent of all food produced to wastage and expiry, worth billions of shillings every year, Msossi offers a timely solution to turn potential losses into opportunities for savings and sustainability,” said Msossi co-founder and chief executive Kevin Otiende.
Msossi targets individual consumers seeking affordable and eco-conscious food choices, as well as businesses looking to minimise losses caused by food waste. Through discounted pricing, the platform aims to attract more buyers and ensure faster turnover of surplus items.
“Connecting stores directly with consumers reduces waste and builds a more efficient food ecosystem that benefits everyone,” Otiende added.
“Over the past year, we have immersed ourselves in the operations of supermarkets and restaurants and discovered that supermarkets lose between 5 and 12 percent of their fresh food to wastage, while restaurants are losing up to 30 percent,” he said. “Our platform enables restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels to sell surplus food quickly at attractive prices. This helps consumers access affordable nutrition while addressing serious environmental and economic challenges.”
The launch of Msossi app comes at a critical time as the country continues to grapple with inefficiencies across the food supply chain. The app is expected to roll out nationwide, with features designed for easy listing and purchasing to suit local market requirements.
The platform will also provide measurable impact data, including the amount of food saved, carbon emissions reduced, and meals rescued. These insights are intended to support ESG and CSR reporting, demonstrating a company’s commitment to the circular economy and zero-waste practices.
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