Whole Foods Partners with Too Good To Go for Surplus Food Distribution
Whole Foods announced it is expanding its food waste reduction initiatives through a partnership with the Too Good To Go marketplace, which boasts more than 100 million registered international users. Too Good To Go seeks distribution channels for excess food and connects businesses with communities that are dedicated to preventing edible food from reaching landfills. The partnership will get Whole Foods one step closer to meeting its 2030 deadline of slashing food waste by 50%.
“We are thrilled to be part of the Too Good To Go community,” said Caitlin Leibert, VP of Sustainability at Whole Foods Market, in a statement. “As part of our purpose to nourish people and the planet, we continue to invest in new and innovative ways to keep unsold food out of our landfills and empower our customers to make environmentally conscious choices. We’re proud of the work we’ve done—just last year we donated nearly 34 million pounds of food to food programs across the country—but are so excited to expand that work with the help of Too Good To Go.”
Whole Foods customers can help by purchasing surprise surplus food bags from more than 450 U.S. stores in the Too Good To Go network. Bags are available through the Too Good To Go app. Customers can choose from two types of surprise bags: Prepared Foods, which contain soups and ready-to-eat meals valued at $30 for $9.99, and Bakery Bags, featuring bread, muffins, cookies, and scones, valued at $21 for $6.99.
Learn more about Too Good To Go in this YouTube video.
Champs Sports Repositions with “Sport For Life” Platform
Champs Sports, under Foot Locker’s direction, unveiled a new brand platform named “Sport For Life.” The brand refresh is part of Foot Locker’s strategy to revitalize the struggling Champs Sports brand, which is updating merchandise and tackling other initiatives in its overhaul. The platform emphasizes the role of sports in daily life and features partnerships with prominent athletes, including Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, and New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor. Champs is also revamping its stores by offering a more extensive selection of local sports products and hosting experiential activities like a monthly running club.
“Our new platform embodies the spirit of our core customer – the sport-style enthusiast,” Tony Aversa, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Champs Sports, said in a statement. “Sport is more than a hobby; it is a way of life. It’s about the everyday hustle, pursuit of goals, and the shared passion for sport-culture. We aim to empower our customers to embrace sport-style and provide them with the tools they need to excel in the sport of life.”
The rebranding effort coincides with a more comprehensive Foot Locker strategy to stabilize its operations amid declining revenues. Foot Locker reported a 6.8% drop in total sales and a $330 million net loss for the last fiscal year. With Mary Dillon at the helm as CEO, Foot Locker has made significant changes, including the planned closing of 400 mall-based stores through 2026, shuttering its Atmos North American locations, and discontinuing its European Sidestep banner.
Watch as Francisco Lindor appears in a Champs Sports promotional for Sport For Life.
Red Robin Offers “Bottomless” Options Over Discounts and Deals
To attract diners looking for more value, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers is offering bottomless sides, desserts, and drinks rather than deep discounts or meal deals. Unlike other chains that have suffered from unlimited menu items, Red Robin believes its offerings—like bottomless fries, floats, and broccoli—will accompany the restaurant’s main dishes, drawing in more customers. The chain has experienced new management during the last 18 months, enhancing menu items at its 500-plus locations with higher-quality ingredients and new flat-top grills, as well as increasing staffing levels to improve the dining experience.
“Seven days a week, 365 days a year, you can get all these items, as much as you want,” said Todd Wilson, Chief Financial Officer. “But we’re not necessarily intending to go to the deep discounting that some of our competitors have done, or that Red Robin at times has done in the past,” he said.
Red Robin’s strategy centers on offering its diners more than 30 unlimited menu items, including garlic fries, salad, cream soda, and various lemonade flavors, without significantly lowering prices. The chain has also cut supply chain costs—for example, opting for more bulk purchases and buying 20-pound hamburger cases instead of 10-pound cases.
Red Robin also revamped its loyalty program to attract more customers, launching a $3 million marketing campaign to promote the bottomless menu items. Loyalty members can now earn a $10 discount for each $100 they spend to redeem for their favorite Red Robin meals. Formerly, the loyalty program offered a free entree for nine entree purchases. With more attainable discounts in the loyalty program, Red Robin is encouraging repeat visits and enhancing the guest experience.
Learn more about Red Robin’s Loyalty Program here.
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Original Article Links:
Whole Foods Expands Food Waste Reduction Efforts with New App Integration
Champs Sports launches brand platform as it works to reposition itself
Bottomless Fries, Floats and Broccoli. One Restaurant Chain’s Bid to Get Diners.