Too Good To Go Blog

Testimonial: Too Good Referral Program

Photo by Hank Brink on Google.

As a partner store working with Too Good To Go, you probably know other food businesses in your network who have the same questions you had when you started: how do I waste less food and recover more money on my surplus?

Too Good To Go’s referral program can help with that. For every business you refer that also starts saving surplus food, you receive a bonus. But it’s not just about the monetary incentive. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Joe Madara. He runs Madara’s Seafood , located in the Newtown Farmer’s Market just north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the US. He’s a great example of the network effect – how word of mouth can benefit everyone in the fight against food waste, including customers, neighboring businesses, and your bottom line.

Are you a food business looking to reduce your surplus food? Become a Too Good To Go Partner here!

And if you’re an active partner listing surplus food on Too Good To Go, did you know you can get a bonus when referring? Go to your Referrals tab in MyStore to copy your personal link and send it to food businesses you think might benefit.

“It's the right thing to do. You know, you're helping everybody out, you're not throwing food out, financially, you’re making a little money on it instead of throwing it out. It's just a good vibe all around.”

Excerpts from our conversation are below!

Madara’s Seafood in Newton, Pennsylvania.

Can you tell me, how did you hear about Too Good To Go and why did you start working with us?

We're in a farmer's market, it’s like 17 vendors in here. We all have our own little specialty. So I’m the seafood guy, there’s a chicken guy, a produce guy, salads. And we’re only open Thursday, Friday, Saturday. We're only open 26 hours a week. Saturday we’re open 9-4 and then we're closed on the Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. So at the end of the day if we have some inventory left, fresh seafood, there’s just really not much we can do with it. We barter, we can freeze some, take some home. So a former employee of mine uses Too Good To Go for the local bagel shop around here and that's when I reached out and I signed up. I told a couple other vendors here – who I still think there are other vendors that should sign up for it as well – but I think I have two other ones in here who are using it.

And how's the foot traffic from Too Good To Go users?

I know for a fact that since I've been doing it I’ve gained three loyal customers of mine, where they come in as full-paying customers.

At the end of the day when you see that the food is not ending up in the bins, how is the feeling?

Oh it's good. Before I started we didn't throw a lot of food out then, but it's better now.

When you have referred, what triggered you to do that and how has it been received from the people that you're referring to?

Since we’re in the Farmers Market, everybody's in the same boat here. Saturday at four o’clock, we're done for four days. The barbecue chicken guy has rotisserie chickens going all day long. When do you say “when” in business to stop making product? Is it two o'clock? Three o'clock? Sometimes you get that four o'clock rush and you don't have any chicken left. So I told him about it and he uses it every day. So it works out well for him because he can keep making, up to that rush. The bakery is the same way – he jumped on it as well.

So you also receive a bonus when you refer – how has that financial incentive affected you?

I referred him before I even knew there was a bonus. So that isn’t really the reason why I did it but actually I have two other stores nearby that I think should do it too. So the financial factor was…I mean, it was a nice surprise.

If you could sum up your experience with Too Good To Go in one sentence, what would you say?

It's the right thing to do. You know, you're helping everybody out, you're not throwing food out, financially, you’re making a little money on it instead of throwing it out. It's just a good vibe all around.

Well, thanks so much for your time, Joe! Have a great day.

You too! Bye.

Ready to join the fight against food waste? Sign up here or refer a food business on your Referrals tab on MyStore

Joe Madara

Madara’s Seafood

Newtown, Pennsylvania

https://www.madarasseafood.com