Cirkula app for cutting food waste in Peru saves $ 300,000, cuts CO2 emissions

06 / 01 / 2025

By Marwa Nassar - -

Cirkula app that was launched in Peru to address the food waste issue has rescued 45,000kg of food, reduced 100,000 kilograms of CO2 emissions, and saved $ 300,000.

Cirkula demonstrates the potential of innovative solutions in addressing critical climate challenges by combining environmental impact with economic benefits.

The app allows restaurants and retailers to sell surplus food directly to consumers at discounted prices. The business model is simple, profitable, and efficient for consumers and businesses, with payment, delivery, and pick-up handled in-app.

The app helps reduce waste and tracks and reports on CO2 and financial savings, creating awareness of the impact and incentive for other small businesses to do the same.

Michelle Gomberoff, Co-Founder and CEO of Cirkula, said the importance of educating consumers, who value fresh foods, about the fact that rescued food is cheaper yet high-quality while promoting the economic benefits of reducing food waste.

“Our goal is to reduce 4 million kg of food waste and 9 million kg of CO2 emissions in the next 5 years,”said Gomberoff.

As a promising climate tech start-up, Cirkula received support from CATAL1.5°T (pronounced “catalyst”), a $ 40 million initiative financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

CATALI.5°T supported Cirkula’s business approach, making the business more competitive and better positioned for fundraising in a challenging business landscape. Participating in the CATAL1.5°T accelerator program has been a transformative experience for Cirkula, providing essential funding, insights, mentorship, and resources to integrate sustainability into every aspect of their business.

As Cirkula prepares for expansion into Bolivia and beyond, networking and mentorship remain crucial. The CATAL1.5°T accelerator program continues to support Cirkula’s mission to transform Peru’s food sector for good.

The CATAL1.5°T Initiative is funded by the international Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in cooperation with EIT Climate-KIC, Tecnológico de Monterrey, and Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P).