Thrift Pantry

Inspiration

Thrift Pantry was inspired by the realization of just how much surplus food is wasted every day in restaurants and grocery stores. We saw an opportunity to reduce this waste by creating a platform that connects consumers to high-quality surplus food at discounted prices, benefiting both consumers and businesses while supporting sustainability.

What it does

Thrift Pantry is a mobile and web platform that allows restaurants and stores to list their surplus food for consumers to purchase at a reduced price. Through our app, users can find affordable, fresh food nearby, helping to reduce waste while enjoying budget-friendly options. The app also features notifications for flash sales and integrates map views to show nearby deals.

How we built it

We developed Thrift Pantry using a mix of frontend and backend technologies. The mobile app was built with Flutter, while the backend was developed in Python with Django for scalability. We incorporated machine learning to adjust prices dynamically based on factors like demand and shelf life, ensuring that the food is sold efficiently while it's still fresh.

Challenges we ran into

One of our key challenges was implementing real-time inventory updates across multiple vendors, ensuring that customers see only what is available at any moment. Another challenge was integrating a reliable payment system and building trust with local businesses to encourage partnerships.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud of building a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for consumers to find deals quickly and for vendors to update their listings in real time. Additionally, we’re thrilled to have developed an effective machine-learning model that adjusts prices dynamically, which has been key in maximizing the sale of surplus food.

What we learned

This project taught us a lot about the complexities of food logistics and inventory management. We also learned the importance of user feedback in creating a product that meets both the consumers' and vendors' needs. It was a valuable experience in applying AI to solve a pressing social and environmental issue.

What's next for Thrift Pantry

In the future, we aim to expand our partnerships with more local restaurants and grocery stores, as well as introduce a premium subscription feature with exclusive deals and perks. We’re also looking into integrating a rewards program to encourage regular users and contribute to further reductions in food waste.

Built With

• dart
• django
• firebase
• flutter
• google-maps
• keras
• scikit-learn
• tensorflow