ByteLabs - Food Waste

We connect businesses with organizations to collect surplus food and redistribute it to those in need, reducing waste and building a sustainable future.

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About the Project

Inspiration

Singapore generated 817,000 tons of food waste in 2022, but only 18% was recycled. Much of this discarded food was still edible. At the same time, thousands of families rely on food assistance every month.
We built a platform that directly connects surplus to need.

What It Does

  • Real-time surplus listings from participating stores
  • Slot-based pickup bookings for organisations
  • Collection tracking to support redistribution
  • Daily item limits to ensure fair distribution

The result: reduced waste and increased support for food-insecure communities.

How We Built It

Tech Stack

  • React for a fast and modular frontend
  • Node.js + Express for backend APIs
  • Role-based authentication for stores, organisations, and admins

Core Features

  • Store Listing Engine
  • Booking Manager
  • Organisation Dashboard

Challenges

  • Designing a booking system that prevents slot conflicts
  • Ensuring real-time availability updates
  • Creating user flows that work for two very different roles

Accomplishments

  • A functional prototype built within the hackathon timeframe
  • A stable booking flow with accurate state handling
  • A solution with measurable environmental and social impact

What We Learned

  • Multi-role platforms require clear user journey mapping
  • Real-time updates demand efficient state syncing
  • Collaboration is strongest with clear task ownership

What’s Next

  • Mobile app support
  • Notification and reminder systems
  • Partnerships with NGOs, bakeries, supermarkets, and cloud kitchens
  • Impact analytics (waste diverted, CO₂ savings, beneficiaries served)

Fun Fact (LaTeX)

If Singapore reduces food waste by 10%, the amount saved is:

$$ 0.10 \times 817{,}000 = 81{,}700 \text{ tons} $$

In kilograms:

$$ 81{,}700 \text{ tons} = 81.7 \times 10^6 \text{ kg} $$

This is roughly:

$$ \frac{81.7 \times 10^6}{50{,}000} \approx 1.6 \text{ times the weight of an entire MRT train.} $$

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