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Food waste redistribution — 2024

FreshEats

A 48-hour sprint winner that redistributes surplus campus food to students at an affordable cost.

FreshEats mobile screens with the broccoli mascotFreshEats concept tote bags, mascot and full UI flow
Project
DesignVerse 2024 — 1st Place, Best Global Impact
Role
Visual identity, UX research, product pitch & UI design
Timeline
48-hour design sprint, 2024
Team
Student design team
Tools
Figma

The challenge

U.S. college campuses waste over 22 million pounds of food a year while nearly 44 million Americans face food insecurity — and over 23% of undergraduates experience it themselves. We watched schools discard surplus food every evening while students nearby went hungry.

Approach

  1. 01

    Mission

    Reduce food waste one bite at a time by connecting universities with their communities to redistribute surplus food at an affordable cost.

  2. 02

    Dual users

    Designed one interface for both admins and consumers, with a toggle that lets people switch roles effortlessly.

  3. 03

    Key features

    Smart matching on live inventory and dietary preferences, 'waste points' gamification redeemable for free meals, and an impact tracker showing food saved.

  4. 04

    Learning fast

    Most of the team had never used Figma — learning to design and prototype inside 48 hours was a steep but rewarding curve.

Outcomes

  • 1st Place for Best Global Impact at DesignVerse 2024
  • A full mobile flow from browsing surplus meals to pickup and receipt
  • Next: map integration for nearby schools and real-time order tracking