Roughly two years after its launch, it seems that SpareEat’s biggest challenge is convincing you that no one is out to scam you. Of course, this is a total simplification of all its advantages, values, and the aspirations of its founders, but it is also the app’s main obstacle, as I see it, in its quest to conquer Israel—perhaps even the world.
Because here, as everyone knows, there is no consumerism or pricing, no buying or trading, without someone taking a hefty cut. In Hebrew—again, a widely accepted fact—there are no "small print" disclaimers, only giant letters, usually appearing only after you’ve already pulled out your wallet. It might rhyme, but it’s also just the reality we live in.
This obstacle—an inherent, blue-and-white skepticism—is probably the app’s bad news. And that’s perfectly fine, because everything else is good news, almost miraculously rare good news.
The venture founded by Laetitia Jessner and Yonatan Fischer started with an ecological focus, aiming to reduce food waste from eateries across the country. But it quickly evolved into a dual-mission enterprise, recognizing just how deeply the high cost of living is embedded in daily life, affecting everyone (well, almost everyone—there are 120 Israelis for whom this clearly doesn’t apply). It dictates our schedules, our priorities—essentially, everything.
This didn’t require a shift in direction, just a unification of goals, since the app could handle both missions at once, appealing to one audience while also catering to everyone else. It turns out that saving money, very quickly and through practical use, also brings environmental benefits. Maybe those don’t concern you right now, but you’ll certainly be happy to receive them as an added bonus, right?
The app’s mechanism has remained the same since its launch, relying on a consistent and ongoing dialogue between users—both customers and businesses. The businesses update the app with how many “surprise baskets” they have available at the end of the business day, and you can log in, make a purchase, and arrive to pick it up (within a designated time window).
These baskets are a mystery in terms of contents—you don’t know exactly what you’ll get—but they guarantee at least a 50% discount on the items compared to their regular store price. Most also provide general guidelines on what to expect. When you visit a bakery, for instance, you can reasonably expect to walk away with a bag full of baked goods. The same goes for hummus stands, falafel shops, or produce markets.
Using the app twice in recent weeks provided two excellent examples of SpareEat’s advantages, dispelling doubts and skepticism while reinforcing positive impressions.
The first basket was picked up from Upper Market in Givatayim, a fast and efficient lunch spot operating beneath one of the city's newer office towers. It functions even better through deliveries and pickups like this. They promise a meat-based main dish with sides, emphasizing that you won’t know exactly what will be in the box, but assuring that “it will be tasty.”
The price—NIS 28 instead of NIS 56—represents a deal you just don’t see anymore. The only caveat is a short pickup window of 30 minutes (in this case, between 3:30 and 4:00 p.m.), making it ideal for a late lunch or someone already thinking about reheating dinner—or both. The result? A hefty portion packed with a giant schnitzel, roasted green vegetables, and yellow rice, eliminating any need for further discussion.
The second basket, from Derech Lechem Bakery in Ramat Gan, was even more spectacular. It cost NIS 39 instead of NIS 78 (though it quickly became clear that the real value was even higher) and was available for pickup between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m., reminiscent of the happy hour deals bakeries used to offer.
Upon entering, an employee grabbed two large plastic bags and started loading them up—loaves of bread and rolls of all kinds, bourekas (which needed a bit of warming up, of course), sweet pastries, a large sandwich she had just finished making, a small focaccia, and a frena bread—just in case. It was eclectic, naturally, but also downright amazing in its abundance. Yes, you wonder what you’ll get, but you quickly realize that no business has any interest in giving you something bad—quite the opposite. In this case, you walked out with a week’s worth of carbs and a guaranteed dinner solution for at least one night, all for a ridiculously low price.
And everyone wins—the businesses, which convert potential food waste into sales (even if minimal, it’s still a sale), and you, who managed to snag an amazing deal in a country where deals are nearly extinct.
SpareEat is steadily growing, expanding, and strengthening. It is now present in dozens of cities, with over 450 registered businesses and 370,000 customers. "We are working on expanding the selection, aiming to bring in more bakeries, greengrocers, hummus spots, and salad bars," said the entrepreneurial couple. "A sort of community has formed around the app, and we are growing thanks to recommendations from users who tell businesses about us."
Their business model is based on a commission per completed basket sale, and they work hard to ensure that the baskets are worthwhile, varied, and surprising. "That element of surprise shouldn’t be a barrier," they explained. "In many cases, it actually makes the purchase more exciting, even leading to fun unboxing videos. If you receive a vegetable you’ve never used before, for instance, it’s fun to research, look up recipes, and experiment in the kitchen."
From the users' perspective, they explained, "it’s all about the surprise and the game. They connect with the environmental and consumer value, and the app features ratings, making every business transparent and accountable. Each day, the vast majority of the available baskets sell out. Without a doubt, what limits us today isn’t demand—it’s supply. There's a butcher shop in Ganei Tikva selling poultry baskets. If they listed 200 baskets on SpareEat, they would sell 200 baskets. This way, the potential losses for the coming days decrease, and you can get high-quality chicken for half the price."
Ultimately, they emphasized, reality affects everyone. "The cost of living is through the roof, and we want to offer something that can help, at least a little. Maybe some compromises are needed, but most of the time, it’s very worthwhile. We’re only at the beginning, and we plan to expand across the entire country. We see the state of the economy and the high cost of living, and dozens of people tell us every day how much we help them put food on the table."
SpareEat – Download Here
