Why are We Talking about Food Waste?
Because every sandwich that ends up in the trash has cost resources: water, energy, labor, transport. In Germany, a large portion of edible food is still thrown away – often simply due to planning in the daily operations of kitchens and buffets. For us in the hotel industry, this is a real issue. Anyone offering breakfast knows the daily balancing act between “enough available” and “not too much”. This is exactly where our partnership with Too Good To Go comes in.
What Does Too Good to Go Do – and how Does that Apply to Hotels?
Too Good To Go (TGTG) connects providers with surplus, but perfectly good, food with people who save it at a fair price. For hotels, this is perfect: What’s left over after breakfast can be easily booked in the TGTG app, and picked up directly at the hotel. This way, we save waste, reduce emissions, and make Berliners – and our guests – full and happy.
The Story of Too Good to Go – from Copenhagen Pilot to Movement
Too Good To Go was founded in Copenhagen in 2015. The founding idea was simple yet visionary: Buffets, bakeries, and hotels throw away good food at the end of the day – why not save it via an app? After initial pilots with bakeries and restaurants, it quickly became clear: If pickup windows are clear and the bags remain a “surprise”, saving food works in everyday life.
From 2016/17, TGTG rolled out to other countries, including Germany – with a strong start in Berlin. From here, the network grew rapidly: Food startups, bakery chains, supermarkets, canteens, and hotels joined. Today, TGTG is active in most of Europe and is now also represented in North America.
A local idea has become an international community – with hundreds of thousands of partner businesses and hundreds of millions of saved portions worldwide. For Berlin, this means: A dense, active scene of businesses and users, into which the little BIG Hotels with their Berlin properties fit perfectly. Thus, everyday hotel life becomes lived sustainability – and leftovers create real impact.
What is the Contribution of the Little BIG Hotels in Berlin?
We are on board with our Berlin properties and have integrated TGTG into daily operations: From sorting and cooling to packing and pickup. It is important to us that quality and safety are right – only products that are fresh and perfectly good are saved. Our Leipzig properties are currently not part of the cooperation; the focus is deliberately on Berlin, where the processes are established and we currently see the greatest leverage.
What Results Have We Already Achieved?
Since the start of the cooperation, we have distributed 729 surprise bags via Too Good To Go and thereby avoided 1.97 tons of CO₂e. In the last 12 months alone, it was 677 bags and 1.83 tons of CO₂e. The fact that the offer is well-received is also shown by a total of 2,161 favorites in the app, as well as around 1 million views (of which 970,042 were in the last 12 months). In short: Saving makes a measurable difference – for the climate, community, and kitchen.
How Does Saving Specifically Work for Users?
You open the app, search for little BIG Hotels in Berlin, book a surprise bag, and pick it up within the chosen time slot. What’s inside varies daily: from croissants, fruit, and yogurt to savory snacks from our popular breakfast service. That’s the charm of the concept – sustainable, delicious, and a little surprise included. And to avoid unnecessary waste in the form of paper bags, you bring your own storage or transport box – it hardly gets any better.
What Does the Cooperation Bring beyond the Numbers?
First, awareness. Our teams see daily how much we save thanks to TGTG – this changes routines in purchasing and production. Second, community. Many Berliners discover us for the first time via the app, recommend us to friends and acquaintances, and ideally return later as guests. Third, credibility. For us, sustainability is not a buzzword, but lived practice – from the supply chain to waste management. The bags are a visible expression of this.
Conclusion: Small Bag, Big Effect
Food waste cannot be eliminated by simply announcing it, but it can be reduced step by step. With Too Good To Go, we have found a smart, practical way that is already making an impact in Berlin. It’s clear to us: This is just the beginning. And it’s delicious.