StarZero All shows Try the podcast clipper →

Mar 9, 2023 · 40m · how-i-built-this

HIBT Lab! Too Good To Go: Lucie Basch

Lucie Basch · 26m spoken Guy Raz · 10m spoken
0:00 / 0:00

gold bands on the timeline = statements, start to end. Hover to read, click to jump. CC turns on captions

In this episode of How I Built This Lab, host Guy Raz interviews Too Good To Go co-founder Lucie Basch about building a global marketplace that empowers consumers and merchants to eliminate commercial food waste through discounted surprise bags.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. Guy holds 28.4% of the talking time here. How this is scored →

Guy as informed peer 3.9 Guest teaching 3.0 Guest disagreement 0.9 Guy pushing back 1.3
05100:0015:0030:000:01–4:07 · Guy as informed peer 4/10 Origins of Food Waste Awareness at Nestlé Guy opens with detailed industry statistics on U.S. food waste from Feeding America. Lucie explains her experience on Nestlé production lines and educates Guy on how industrial efficiency metrics inadvertently incentivize food waste.4:08–6:49 · Guy as informed peer 3/10 Developing the Surprise Bag Marketplace Concept Guy explores the surprise bag concept using bakery examples, while Lucie details how pricing bags at one-third retail value creates consumer buy-in. The dynamic is highly collaborative with Guy framing the consumer journey.6:49–13:39 · Guy as informed peer 4/10 Partnering with Danish Founders and Initial Pitching Guy displays background knowledge by clarifying that the original Danish team focused on buffets rather than bakeries. Lucie recounts cold-calling the founders and executing early merchant pitches in Norway.13:40–21:46 · Guy as informed peer 5/10 Mid-Roll Interlude and Program Bumper Guy probes the danger of luxury food brands diluting their image through discounting, drawing parallels to Airbnb platform models. Lucie explains how the surprise bag mechanism avoids direct product discounting.21:47–26:37 · Guy as informed peer 3/10 Monetization Model, Supermarket Integration, and European Scaling When Guy assumes the platform is tailored mostly to restaurants rather than grocery stores, Lucie corrects him by noting 50% of European volume comes from supermarkets. She teaches him about regulatory friction around sell-by versus use-by dates.26:49–32:36 · Guy as informed peer 4/10 Navigating US Expansion and Choosing Social Impact Capitalism Guy pushes on why Lucie chose a venture-backed for-profit structure over a non-profit charity. Lucie justifies how the commercial model creates necessary capital velocity and operational discipline.32:38–39:11 · Guy as informed peer 4/10 Complementing Food Charities and Scaling Global Movement Guy directly raises ethical criticism that commercial apps divert food from charities and serve affluent consumers. Lucie pushes back with operational nuance, explaining charity pickup constraints and middle-class food insecurity.0:01–4:07 · Guest teaching 3/10 Origins of Food Waste Awareness at Nestlé Guy opens with detailed industry statistics on U.S. food waste from Feeding America. Lucie explains her experience on Nestlé production lines and educates Guy on how industrial efficiency metrics inadvertently incentivize food waste.4:08–6:49 · Guest teaching 2/10 Developing the Surprise Bag Marketplace Concept Guy explores the surprise bag concept using bakery examples, while Lucie details how pricing bags at one-third retail value creates consumer buy-in. The dynamic is highly collaborative with Guy framing the consumer journey.6:49–13:39 · Guest teaching 2/10 Partnering with Danish Founders and Initial Pitching Guy displays background knowledge by clarifying that the original Danish team focused on buffets rather than bakeries. Lucie recounts cold-calling the founders and executing early merchant pitches in Norway.13:40–21:46 · Guest teaching 3/10 Mid-Roll Interlude and Program Bumper Guy probes the danger of luxury food brands diluting their image through discounting, drawing parallels to Airbnb platform models. Lucie explains how the surprise bag mechanism avoids direct product discounting.21:47–26:37 · Guest teaching 4/10 Monetization Model, Supermarket Integration, and European Scaling When Guy assumes the platform is tailored mostly to restaurants rather than grocery stores, Lucie corrects him by noting 50% of European volume comes from supermarkets. She teaches him about regulatory friction around sell-by versus use-by dates.26:49–32:36 · Guest teaching 3/10 Navigating US Expansion and Choosing Social Impact Capitalism Guy pushes on why Lucie chose a venture-backed for-profit structure over a non-profit charity. Lucie justifies how the commercial model creates necessary capital velocity and operational discipline.32:38–39:11 · Guest teaching 4/10 Complementing Food Charities and Scaling Global Movement Guy directly raises ethical criticism that commercial apps divert food from charities and serve affluent consumers. Lucie pushes back with operational nuance, explaining charity pickup constraints and middle-class food insecurity.0:01–4:07 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Origins of Food Waste Awareness at Nestlé Guy opens with detailed industry statistics on U.S. food waste from Feeding America. Lucie explains her experience on Nestlé production lines and educates Guy on how industrial efficiency metrics inadvertently incentivize food waste.4:08–6:49 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Developing the Surprise Bag Marketplace Concept Guy explores the surprise bag concept using bakery examples, while Lucie details how pricing bags at one-third retail value creates consumer buy-in. The dynamic is highly collaborative with Guy framing the consumer journey.6:49–13:39 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Partnering with Danish Founders and Initial Pitching Guy displays background knowledge by clarifying that the original Danish team focused on buffets rather than bakeries. Lucie recounts cold-calling the founders and executing early merchant pitches in Norway.13:40–21:46 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Mid-Roll Interlude and Program Bumper Guy probes the danger of luxury food brands diluting their image through discounting, drawing parallels to Airbnb platform models. Lucie explains how the surprise bag mechanism avoids direct product discounting.21:47–26:37 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Monetization Model, Supermarket Integration, and European Scaling When Guy assumes the platform is tailored mostly to restaurants rather than grocery stores, Lucie corrects him by noting 50% of European volume comes from supermarkets. She teaches him about regulatory friction around sell-by versus use-by dates.26:49–32:36 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Navigating US Expansion and Choosing Social Impact Capitalism Guy pushes on why Lucie chose a venture-backed for-profit structure over a non-profit charity. Lucie justifies how the commercial model creates necessary capital velocity and operational discipline.32:38–39:11 · Guest disagreement 2/10 Complementing Food Charities and Scaling Global Movement Guy directly raises ethical criticism that commercial apps divert food from charities and serve affluent consumers. Lucie pushes back with operational nuance, explaining charity pickup constraints and middle-class food insecurity.0:01–4:07 · Guy pushing back 0/10 Origins of Food Waste Awareness at Nestlé Guy opens with detailed industry statistics on U.S. food waste from Feeding America. Lucie explains her experience on Nestlé production lines and educates Guy on how industrial efficiency metrics inadvertently incentivize food waste.4:08–6:49 · Guy pushing back 0/10 Developing the Surprise Bag Marketplace Concept Guy explores the surprise bag concept using bakery examples, while Lucie details how pricing bags at one-third retail value creates consumer buy-in. The dynamic is highly collaborative with Guy framing the consumer journey.6:49–13:39 · Guy pushing back 1/10 Partnering with Danish Founders and Initial Pitching Guy displays background knowledge by clarifying that the original Danish team focused on buffets rather than bakeries. Lucie recounts cold-calling the founders and executing early merchant pitches in Norway.13:40–21:46 · Guy pushing back 2/10 Mid-Roll Interlude and Program Bumper Guy probes the danger of luxury food brands diluting their image through discounting, drawing parallels to Airbnb platform models. Lucie explains how the surprise bag mechanism avoids direct product discounting.21:47–26:37 · Guy pushing back 1/10 Monetization Model, Supermarket Integration, and European Scaling When Guy assumes the platform is tailored mostly to restaurants rather than grocery stores, Lucie corrects him by noting 50% of European volume comes from supermarkets. She teaches him about regulatory friction around sell-by versus use-by dates.26:49–32:36 · Guy pushing back 2/10 Navigating US Expansion and Choosing Social Impact Capitalism Guy pushes on why Lucie chose a venture-backed for-profit structure over a non-profit charity. Lucie justifies how the commercial model creates necessary capital velocity and operational discipline.32:38–39:11 · Guy pushing back 3/10 Complementing Food Charities and Scaling Global Movement Guy directly raises ethical criticism that commercial apps divert food from charities and serve affluent consumers. Lucie pushes back with operational nuance, explaining charity pickup constraints and middle-class food insecurity.

speaking balance: gold is Guy, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · Guy 50% · guest 50%0:00 · Guy 50% · guest 50%3:00 · Guy 21.2% · guest 78.8%3:00 · Guy 21.2% · guest 78.8%6:00 · Guy 8.1% · guest 91.9%6:00 · Guy 8.1% · guest 91.9%9:00 · Guy 26.3% · guest 73.7%9:00 · Guy 26.3% · guest 73.7%12:00 · Guy 22.6% · guest 77.4%12:00 · Guy 22.6% · guest 77.4%15:00 · Guy 26.8% · guest 73.2%15:00 · Guy 26.8% · guest 73.2%18:00 · Guy 37.6% · guest 62.4%18:00 · Guy 37.6% · guest 62.4%21:00 · Guy 43.4% · guest 56.6%21:00 · Guy 43.4% · guest 56.6%24:00 · Guy 31.7% · guest 68.3%24:00 · Guy 31.7% · guest 68.3%27:00 · Guy 16.9% · guest 83.1%27:00 · Guy 16.9% · guest 83.1%30:00 · Guy 40.5% · guest 59.5%30:00 · Guy 40.5% · guest 59.5%33:00 · Guy 16.3% · guest 83.7%33:00 · Guy 16.3% · guest 83.7%36:00 · Guy 5.7% · guest 94.3%36:00 · Guy 5.7% · guest 94.3%39:00 · Guy 91.2% · guest 8.8%39:00 · Guy 91.2% · guest 8.8%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 34:25 Rejecting assumption about platform users

Lucie firmly rejects the notion that app users are merely wealthy bargain hunters, emphasizing that many working-class families rely on the app to afford daily meals.

 Hardest push from Guy ▶ 32:38 Guy challenges charity displacement

Guy presses Lucie with the core critique that commercial surplus platforms undercut non-profit food banks and direct food to wealthy consumers instead of the needy.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 24:03 Supermarket grocery waste dominance

Lucie corrects Guy's assumption that the app primarily serves cafes and restaurants, revealing that over half of European volume comes from grocery chains and date-labeling confusion.

 Guy holds their own ▶ 20:50 Platform economics synthesis

Guy synthesizes the two-sided platform dynamics of Too Good To Go with Airbnb and ride-sharing networks, framing the exact monetization mechanics to the guest.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicGuy as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementGuy pushing backWhy
Origins of Food Waste Awareness at Nestlé 4300 Guy opens with detailed industry statistics on U.S. food waste from Feeding America. Lucie explains her experience on Nestlé production lines and educates Guy on how industrial efficiency metrics inadvertently incentivize food waste.
Developing the Surprise Bag Marketplace Concept 3200 Guy explores the surprise bag concept using bakery examples, while Lucie details how pricing bags at one-third retail value creates consumer buy-in. The dynamic is highly collaborative with Guy framing the consumer journey.
Partnering with Danish Founders and Initial Pitching 4211 Guy displays background knowledge by clarifying that the original Danish team focused on buffets rather than bakeries. Lucie recounts cold-calling the founders and executing early merchant pitches in Norway.
Mid-Roll Interlude and Program Bumper 5312 Guy probes the danger of luxury food brands diluting their image through discounting, drawing parallels to Airbnb platform models. Lucie explains how the surprise bag mechanism avoids direct product discounting.
Monetization Model, Supermarket Integration, and European Scaling 3411 When Guy assumes the platform is tailored mostly to restaurants rather than grocery stores, Lucie corrects him by noting 50% of European volume comes from supermarkets. She teaches him about regulatory friction around sell-by versus use-by dates.
Navigating US Expansion and Choosing Social Impact Capitalism 4312 Guy pushes on why Lucie chose a venture-backed for-profit structure over a non-profit charity. Lucie justifies how the commercial model creates necessary capital velocity and operational discipline.
Complementing Food Charities and Scaling Global Movement 4423 Guy directly raises ethical criticism that commercial apps divert food from charities and serve affluent consumers. Lucie pushes back with operational nuance, explaining charity pickup constraints and middle-class food insecurity.

Statements from this episode (12)

Assertion Supported
Raz: Commercial food services generate 60% of US food waste
“So about 60% of all food waste in the U.S. Comes from restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, and food service companies. That's according to the nonprofit Feeding America.”
Guy Raz Mar 9, 2023 ▶ 0:05
Opinion
Basch: Nestlé prioritizes speed and cost over nutrition and the environment
“At Nestle, it's all about how can we produce faster and cheaper? And, you know, there is nothing around how can we improve the health of our consumers? How can we make it better for the environment? How can we make the food more nutritious?”
Lucie Basch Mar 9, 2023 ▶ 1:22
Disclosure
Basch: Too Good To Go bags cost $4 to $6 for 3x value
“And so, you pay a small price on the app, between four and six dollars, basically, and then at the closing time, you come, you show your receipt on your phone, and then you get a bag filled with food for three times the price you paid for.”
Lucie Basch Mar 9, 2023 ▶ 6:28
Disclosure
Basch: Too Good To Go bootstrapped without outside investment in year one
“So we didn't have an investment for the first year”
Lucie Basch Mar 9, 2023 ▶ 15:49
Assertion Supported
Basch: 40% of global food is wasted, generating 10% of emissions
“Today we throw away 40% of the food we produce on the planet, that this is responsible for about 10% of greenhouse gases emission, and that still nearly a billion people go to bed hungry every night.”
Lucie Basch Mar 9, 2023 ▶ 20:21
Disclosure
Basch: Too Good To Go takes a $1.79 cut on a $5.99 bag
“So, one 79 goes to Too Good To Go, and everything else goes back to the store.”
Lucie Basch Mar 9, 2023 ▶ 22:57
Assertion Not publicly verifiable
Basch: 50% of Too Good To Go European volume comes from supermarkets
“I mean, in Europe, 50% of the food we save every day comes from grocery partners in supermarkets.”
Lucie Basch Mar 9, 2023 ▶ 24:19
Insight
Basch: Scaling meant achieving country-level profitability within 16 to 24 months
“And, you know, it was always the same mindset, is a country will become profitable between 16 and 24 months, and then it will pay for the next one.”
Lucie Basch Mar 9, 2023 ▶ 26:11
Assertion Partly supported
Basch: Too Good To Go reached 12,000 US stores and 4M meals saved
“Today, you know, just a couple of years later, we are in 12,000 stores in the U.S. 12,000 stores. Yeah, so we've already saved more than four million meals in the U.S.”
Lucie Basch Mar 9, 2023 ▶ 27:46
Assertion Supported
Basch: Too Good To Go reached 75M global users in seven years
“And in seven years, we managed to launch the concept in 17 countries. Yeah. We saved several hundred millions of meals with the app. We have more than seventy-five million consumers in the world”
Lucie Basch Mar 9, 2023 ▶ 31:05
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Basch: Too Good To Go rescues three meals every second
“And, you know, today we save three meals every second.”
Lucie Basch Mar 9, 2023 ▶ 35:30
Assertion Supported
Basch: Too Good To Go acquired shelf-rotation startup Coda Bene
“We just acquired a company called Coda Bene that helps grocery stores to really do their shelf rotation in a smarter way.”
Lucie Basch Mar 9, 2023 ▶ 36:17
Made with StarZero

Turn any episode into a week of clips.

This entire site, over 800 episodes transcribed, diarized, checked and made playable, runs on the StarZero media pipeline. Drop in your own episode and the podcast clipper finds the moments worth sharing, cuts them, captions them, and reframes them for every feed.

Try the podcast clipper Learn more