Fridge Friends

Inspiration

We were inspired by the massive scale of food waste—over a third of all food produced globally goes uneaten. In New York alone, 3.9 million tons of food are wasted each year. At the same time, many individuals grow excess fruits, vegetables, and herbs in their gardens without a way to share it. We wanted to solve this disconnect by building a platform that reduces waste, fosters sustainability, and supports local communities.

What it does

FridgeFriends is a community-driven platform that connects people with surplus homegrown produce to others nearby who need it. Users can list their extra food items or browse available produce in their area. Exchanges can be coordinated directly between users, making food sharing easy, accessible, and reliable. FridgeFriends keeps food out of landfills and puts it back into the hands of local community members.

How we built it

We built FridgeFriends using Next.js for the frontend, with TailwindCSS for responsive design. Supabase powers our backend with real-time database functionality, user authentication, and file storage for listing images. We used Vercel for deployment, making the platform live and scalable. The platform is designed to be mobile-friendly, intuitive, and quick to navigate.

Challenges we ran into

One challenge was designing a system that’s simple enough for any user to understand but robust enough to handle listings, user accounts, and direct communication. Balancing UI clarity with functionality was a key hurdle. We also had to manage geolocation-based listings without requiring sensitive user data, ensuring accessibility while protecting privacy.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We're proud to have taken a real-world issue and developed a working platform that can make a tangible impact. From concept to deployment, we created a space where people can actively reduce food waste and support one another. We’re also proud of the clean, approachable UI and the seamless listing flow.

What we learned

We learned how to turn a broad social issue into a concrete, user-friendly application. We gained hands-on experience integrating frontend and backend technologies, managing real-time data, and designing around user behavior. Most importantly, we deepened our understanding of how technology can be used to build community-centered, impact-driven solutions.

What's next for FridgeFriends

Next, we want to integrate smart notifications for new listings, introduce a reputation system to build trust, and expand our reach to more neighborhoods and cities. We're also exploring partnerships with local organizations and urban farms. Ultimately, our goal is to scale FridgeFriends nationally and globally, creating a sustainable, equitable food-sharing ecosystem for everyone.