SOLUTION 1: THE APP
A potential solution is a phone app that centralizes the data and pushes information out to the consumer. A potential add on is a compatible mullion to be installed on your home fridge. Total cost must be affordable to appeal to consumers (unlike the $6,000 smart fridge).
INPUT:
- Consumer scans the receipt at the grocery store (must be compatible with all chains)
- Consumer manually adds an entry for leftovers
- Consumer manually swipes right or left on list of fridge/pantry ingredients to indicate "Used" or "Trashed" (app should remind user to update this twice a week during trash night)
- Smart Fridge Manufacturers make their fridge compatible with our app, then fridge provides expiration dates, used/unused ingredients and suggested grocery list
- Our branded mullion can be purchased and installed on home fridges
- Our branded pantry version of the mullion can be purchased and installed in cabinets
- Consumer inputs household headcount and trash/recycle nights
OUTPUT:
- App populates a list of "what's in my fridge/pantry" (avoid waste by not buying something you already have) separated by which items are recommended to be in the fridge or the pantry
- App populates "expires in 2 days" onto the user's calendar (must be compatible with google calendar, outlook calendar, etc.)
- App uses formula to determine typical consumption time of items you have, and populates a suggested grocery shopping list (i.e. you are probably running low on OJ by such date because it takes a family of four five days to drink the gallon you bought when you bought it)
- If SmartFridge or Mullion installed, App populates a suggested grocery shopping list (because it can see what you are running low on)
- App populates a list of items that are now "trash" (expired, spoiled, etc.) and separates the list by recycling, trash and compost. This way cleaning out the fridge is easy and environmentally friendly.
- App does push notifications to remind consumer to update it AND in the push notification indicates how much money/value was saved to motivate consumer to update it and keep using it
- App keeps running tally of cost of food wasted and value saved
SOLUTION 2: THE FRIDGE
Somehow make the smart fridges more affordable and user-friendly... http://www.cnet.com/news/touchscreen-refrigerators-and-talking-everything-at-ces-2016/
I had not seen the Samsung review until I clicked on your link. They actually thought about the food waste situation and came up with a solution to tag areas of the fridge. It is a manual process that needs to be updated all the time. After creating a solution that costs $6000 I wonder why they were not able to come up with a more automated solution.
ReplyDeleteI like the solution. It could have some obstacles such as getting supermarket chains to go along with the app. however, as a concept I believe it to be somewith that can be implemented. I particularly liked your last point on the output section. Monetizing the "value" wil ldefinetly help sell the concept/idea.