Phenix's Battle Against Food Waste with Twilio
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics
- Networks & Connectivity - 5G
Applicable Industries
- Food & Beverage
- Retail
Applicable Functions
- Procurement
Use Cases
- Predictive Waste Reduction
- Retail Store Automation
Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
Phenix is a France-based startup that is committed to reducing food waste. They enable retailers with unsold food to connect with customers who appreciate sustainability and a good bargain. The company has served over 50 million meals that would have otherwise been discarded to over 400,000 customers. Their customers include restaurants, grocers, bakeries, caterers, hotels, and other retailers who can bundle unsold food at a heavy discount in a themed “basket” of produce, pastries, fully cooked meals, or other items nearing their expiration date. The merchants post what’s available that day, and customers can immediately see what’s for sale near them. Then, via the Phenix app, they simply reserve, pay, and alert the store that they’re on their way for pickup.
The Challenge
Phenix, a France-based startup, is on a mission to reduce food waste by connecting retailers with unsold food to customers who value sustainability and a good bargain. The company has served over 50 million meals that would have otherwise been discarded to over 400,000 customers. However, the process is time-sensitive with many moving parts that need to work together; otherwise, the products will be unusable. Sellers post a general description of each day’s offering, including price, number of baskets in stock, and available pickup window. Retailers might only have a few baskets available, and the pick-up windows can be short. Customers can set alerts so they know immediately when a type of food they want or a specific shop they like has posted an offer. The challenge was to ensure real-time communication between the sellers and the customers.
The Solution
Phenix uses Twilio Programmable SMS and Twilio SendGrid Email API to run tens of thousands of daily interactions. Product updates from stores, basket availability alerts, and two-way communication regarding product purchases, cancellations, and pickups are sent to the store and customer via SMS. The store will also receive an SMS if an order has been cancelled, releasing that customer’s basket immediately for purchase by someone else. Using Programmable SMS empowered the team at Phenix to launch a mobile app in a fast and cost efficient way. Twilio’s system handles the complexity of global regulation governing text marketing, freeing the developers to concentrate on building and scaling the complex product for each country’s unique market. Transactional email messages go out in real-time using Twilio SendGrid’s Email API. Order confirmations and pickup notifications are sent from the store to the customer once the customer has initiated a purchase through the app.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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