The Daily Table

by Startacus Admin

Now for a food startup that takes on several social and economic challenges in one foul swoop...just the way we like them!

It seems that we are never done hearing or reading about the ever rising price of food and how our society has developed a wasteful attitude towards it. What’s more, we are subject to a daily onslaught of criticism about our eating habits and a near constant plea to ditch the cheap junk food and eat more healthily.

One man thinks he may have a solution that could make a real impact upon the level of food which is thrown away in his city and the health of its residents. Doug Rauch is the former head of US grocery chain Trader Joe's and now he is applying his considerable skills to a new type of retail challenge.

He plans to launch an expired food market called The Daily Table which will offer food which is technically ‘expired’ but still remains highly nutritious and perfectly safe/enjoyable to eat.

In early 2014 Doug will bring his original brand of grocery store to the people of Dorchester, Boston, in a bid to reduce food bills, tackle supermarket waste and create a viable and sustainable business venture.

It’s a rather clever idea as other supermarkets will be encouraged to make tax-deductible food donations to Doug's store which will then sell them on to the customer at a huge discount. The Daily Table will also try to make a go of selling food which has been slightly damaged or is not deemed aesthetically worthy to grace the shelves of a regular supermarket.

In a further attempt to encourage a healthy diet, nutritious ready meals will be prepared in store to offer customers an alternative to cheap fast food, while onsite cookery classes will educate locals about the importance of good nutrition and ways to prepare balanced meals on a budget.

A Man With a Plan
You savvy Starticans will probably have already guessed that Doug's aspirations lie much higher than merely one successful alternative supermarket... if the Dorchester store proves popular he has plans to expand the chain across the US and perhaps even further afield!

As lovers of food, the planet, savings and startups, we’ll be watching with hungry anticipation to see if Doug Rauch and 'The Daily Table' have got what it takes to go all the way!

If you liked reading about 'The Daily Table' we reckon you'll love these recent articles:

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• #social impact

Published on: 26th November 2013