Tops expands Flashfood program, boosting earnings

Tops Friendly Markets is continuing its commitment to sustainability through the steady expansion of the Flashfood program, which now includes 17 additional stores throughout the western New York region. On top of saving shoppers money on fresh food and reducing the negative impact on the environment, Flashfood also helps Tops and other retailer partners earn revenue on items that would typically be counted as a loss. By partnering with Flashfood, grocery retailers can reduce shrink, improve EBIT by 3 to 5 percent, and make a positive impact on their carbon footprint.

With 50 Tops locations now offering greater and easier access to affordably priced goods, Tops and Flashfood’s partnership also contributes to the fight against food waste, a leading factor of climate change.

The Flashfood app allows shoppers to conveniently browse and purchase fresh food, including produce, meat, deli, and bakery products, nearing its best by date at significantly reduced prices. Shoppers can find great deals and purchase these items through the free app, then simply pick up their items at the Flashfood zone located at their Tops Friendly Market location.

“We’re proud to be working with sustainability-focused retailers like Tops Friendly Markets to help consumers who are looking to feed their families affordably access discounted, perfectly good food nearing its best-by date — all while ensuring less food goes to waste,” said Josh Domingues, founder and CEO of Flashfood. “Approximately $37 billion worth of food is thrown out each year in the U.S. at the retail level, while an estimated one in nine Americans are food insecure. This is a serious problem that needs to be addressed by all of us working together toward smart, forward-thinking solutions that help people and the planet.”

To date, Tops and Flashfood have worked together to:

• Feed more than 3,000 families affordably
• Save customers an average of $108 on their grocery spend each month
• Divert more than 150,000 pounds of food from landfills
• Save the emissions equivalent of 667,885 miles driven by the average vehicle

Flashfood also helps retailers attract and retain customers. “Many of our customers were among those hit hard by financial challenges over the past year, and partnering with Flashfood allows us the opportunity to help the communities we serve gain access to discounted groceries,” said Jeff Culhane, senior vice president, merchandising for Tops. “We are excited to expand the program with Flashfood and believe it will help us divert food from being thrown in landfills while also saving our shoppers thousands of dollars.”

In addition to helping the Buffalo community access affordable groceries through Flashfood, Tops has also donated more than 53 million meals to local communities.