Goodr

Goodr is an Atlanta-based company built on the premise that hunger is a logistics problem rather than a scarcity problem. It offers an end-to-end food waste solution in which it collects edible surplus food from businesses and donates it to local nonprofits, and works with certified organic waste haulers to recycle inedible food; it also offers broader waste management services for organizations pursuing zero-waste goals. Alongside the waste side of the business, Goodr runs hunger relief programs including pop-up grocery markets, grocery and meal delivery, student snackpacks, and Goodr grocery stores, delivered in partnership with businesses, foundations, governments, and sports teams.

The company's platform tracks an organization's surplus food from pickup to donation and provides real-time social and environmental impact reporting, live updates on associated charitable tax deductions, and diversion data for planning. Technology is also applied to hunger relief operations through route optimization, data collection, and online registration. Public materials describe use of blockchain technology and the Google Maps API for delivery routing between food donors and food banks, and Google Analytics for market insight.

Goodr states it is a certified B Corp. A related nonprofit, the Goodr Foundation, is funded by donations from corporations, individuals, and foundations and supports accessible meals for youth, families, and seniors through holiday events, neighborhood food drives, and student snack packs. The company operates on a hybrid work model and has provided employees with free drop-in childcare through The Goodr Kids Club.

Founding story

Founder Jasmine Crowe-Houston spent years cooking for and feeding food-insecure residents in her Downtown Atlanta neighborhood from her own kitchen and at her own expense. Recognizing that more than 72 billion pounds of food is wasted annually in the US while billions in tax credits go unclaimed, and that on-demand delivery technology used for restaurant orders could be applied to redistributing edible surplus food, she founded Goodr in 2017. She put the business plan into practice in part through a 2017 Google for Startups hackathon at Atlanta Tech Village, where she built early connections with Atlanta entrepreneurs and Google mentors.

Business model

Goodr sells food waste and hunger relief services to organizations. On the waste side, it picks up edible surplus food from business clients and donates it to local nonprofits, arranges recycling of inedible food through certified organic waste haulers, and can manage an organization's broader waste stream; clients receive cost savings through charitable tax deductions along with impact and diversion reporting. On the hunger relief side, businesses, foundations, governments, and sports teams sponsor programs such as pop-up grocery markets, grocery and meal delivery, student snackpacks, and Goodr grocery stores. The affiliated Goodr Foundation is a nonprofit funded by donations.

Revenue is generated from organizational clients paying for surplus food recovery, inedible food recycling and waste management services, and from sponsors funding hunger relief programs. The company stated in 2022 that it had reached millions in annual revenue.

Traction

Company materials report 30 million meals served to people in need, 4 million pounds of food diverted from landfills, and $6.3 million in tax deductions generated for partners. At the time of the 2022 Series A, Goodr reported nearly 30 million meals served and nearly 5 million pounds of organic material diverted, with revenue and impact up 10x since its seed round. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport reported more than 500,000 lbs of food recovered through Goodr, and the NBA All-Star Weekend activation in March 2021 served more than 3,000 families.

Latest developments

The company's site promotes a 2025 Impact Report and lists open positions. Following the June 2022 Series A, stated plans included launching new hunger relief and food waste products, investing in existing technology, doubling team size, expanding logistics capabilities and entering new markets, and growing work with large clients such as IHG Hotels & Resorts. Related announcements referenced a Zero Waste Westside initiative with Atlanta partners, a 2023 Goodr Impact Report, and a Goodr grocery store where seniors shop for free.