A new UAE-born startup is turning one of the country’s biggest sustainability challenges into an opportunity for both consumers and businesses.

A food-saving app founded by Dubai-raised brothers Hasan and Omair Sarwar has officially launched across the UAE, offering residents access to fresh surplus food from restaurants, cafes, bakeries and supermarkets at discounts ranging from 50 to 70 per cent.

The concept behind the Peekabox app is simple: instead of allowing perfectly edible food to go unsold and eventually discarded, participating businesses package surplus items into surprise boxes that customers can purchase at heavily reduced prices and collect later the same day.

For shoppers looking to cut their food bills, the savings can be significant. Grocery surprise boxes typically start at around Dh15, while bakery items, coffee shop products, prepared meals, sushi selections and even hotel buffet offerings are generally available for around Dh30.

The platform has launched with more than 1,000 participating outlets spanning over 40 brands, giving users a wide variety of options across Dubai and beyond.

Using the app, customers can browse available surprise boxes from nearby stores, reserve and pay for them digitally, then collect their order during designated pickup times. Because the contents remain a surprise until collection, businesses can efficiently clear surplus stock without affecting regular full-price sales.

Reducing food waste

Beyond helping residents save money, the startup is addressing a much larger issue: food waste.

Reducing food waste has become a national priority, with the UAE aiming to halve food loss and waste by 2030 under the Ne’ma National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, which supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Much of the fresh food items stocked in stores are unsold, and at the end of each day, it is routinely discarded. At the same time, many residents were feeling the impact of rising living costs. This allowed the brothers to create a solution wherein they could benefit consumers, businesses and also reduce food wastage.

The Peekabox model is proving equally attractive for retailers. Instead of absorbing losses from unsold items, they can now generate additional revenue from products that previously had little or no resale value. Rather than ending up in the bin, fresh food that remains unsold at restaurants, cafes and supermarkets is given a second chance through the app, despite still being well within its shelf life.

By connecting consumers with affordable food and helping businesses reduce waste, the Peekabox app is creating a win-win solution that resonates with a growing number of residents who can not only save money but also help reduce food waste.