{"id":364209,"date":"2017-03-21T02:30:22","date_gmt":"2017-03-21T06:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/grist.org\/?post_type=grist-50-profiles&amp;p=364209"},"modified":"2017-03-21T02:30:22","modified_gmt":"2017-03-21T06:30:22","slug":"raj-karmani","status":"publish","type":"grist-50-profiles","link":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/","title":{"rendered":"Perfectly good meals wind up in the trash. Raj Karmani built an Uber for food waste."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"g50-profile__stats-block profile__stats-block--profile-364209 \">Founder, Zero Percent<br \/>\nChicago, Illinois <br \/>\nAge: 34<\/aside>\n<p>Raj Karmani was a graduate student in computer science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign when his frequent trips to the neighborhood bagel store opened his eyes to food waste. Most of the unsold bagels usually went into the trash. Karmani\u2019s obsession with efficiency got him thinking: What if there were an app that would sync up businesses with fresh, excess food and organizations in need of it? In 2013, he started Zero Percent, an online platform for food donation.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s how it works: First, a food producer at a commercial kitchen, say a restaurant or bagel shop, opens an Uber-style app and drops in detailed data about the excess food: the amount, where to pick it up, when to pick it up, etc. Then, a delivery person, hired by Zero Percent, scoops up the food and drops it off at any number of youth groups, community centers, or nonprofits that have also signed up for the app and signaled a need.<\/p>\n<p>[pullquote share=&#8221;true&#8221; hashtag=&#8221;Grist50&#8243;]\u201cThis app introduced me to the other side of America and the need to fight hunger.\u201d[\/pullquote]<\/p>\n<p>Right now, Zero Percent operates in the Chicago area and in Urbana-Champaign (but plans to expand), and its biggest clients include the University of Illinois and the local Salvation Army. Karmani says Zero Percent has delivered more than 1,000 meals. As a well-educated and relatively well-off immigrant, the experience has been eye-opening for him. \u201cSome of these kids have never seen strawberries.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This developer built an app for food waste.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57007830,"featured_media":490290,"menu_order":32,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"coauthors":[10],"class_list":["post-364209","grist-50-profiles","type-grist-50-profiles","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","grist-50-economy","grist-50-food","grist-50-13"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Perfectly good meals wind up in the trash. Raj Karmani built an Uber for food waste. - Grist 50<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Perfectly good meals wind up in the trash. Raj Karmani built an Uber for food waste.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This developer built an app for food waste.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Grist 50\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/03\/rajesh-karmani1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"Amelia Urry\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/\",\"name\":\"Perfectly good meals wind up in the trash. Raj Karmani built an Uber for food waste. - Grist 50\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/03\/rajesh-karmani1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-03-21T06:30:22+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/03\/rajesh-karmani1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/03\/rajesh-karmani1.jpg\",\"width\":1600,\"height\":900},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Perfectly good meals wind up in the trash. Raj Karmani built an Uber for food waste.\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/\",\"name\":\"Grist 50\",\"description\":\"Meet the Fixers\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Perfectly good meals wind up in the trash. Raj Karmani built an Uber for food waste. - Grist 50","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Perfectly good meals wind up in the trash. Raj Karmani built an Uber for food waste.","og_description":"This developer built an app for food waste.","og_url":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/","og_site_name":"Grist 50","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":900,"url":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/03\/rajesh-karmani1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"1 minute","Written by":"Amelia Urry"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/","url":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/","name":"Perfectly good meals wind up in the trash. Raj Karmani built an Uber for food waste. - Grist 50","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/03\/rajesh-karmani1.jpg","datePublished":"2017-03-21T06:30:22+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/03\/rajesh-karmani1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/03\/rajesh-karmani1.jpg","width":1600,"height":900},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Perfectly good meals wind up in the trash. Raj Karmani built an Uber for food waste."}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/#website","url":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/","name":"Grist 50","description":"Meet the Fixers","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"WebPage","headline":"Perfectly good meals wind up in the trash. Raj Karmani built an Uber for food waste.","url":"http:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/profile\/raj-karmani\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/03\/rajesh-karmani1.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/03\/rajesh-karmani1.jpg"},"articleSection":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Amelia Urry"}],"creator":["Amelia Urry"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Grist 50","logo":"https:\/\/grist.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/cropped-grist-600x600-1.png"},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2017-03-21T06:30:22Z","datePublished":"2017-03-21T06:30:22Z","dateModified":"2017-03-21T06:30:22Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"headline\":\"Perfectly good meals wind up in the trash. Raj Karmani built an Uber for food waste.\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/grist.org\\\/grist-50\\\/profile\\\/raj-karmani\\\/\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/grist.org\\\/grist-50\\\/profile\\\/raj-karmani\\\/\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/grist.org\\\/grist-50\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2017\\\/03\\\/rajesh-karmani1.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/grist.org\\\/grist-50\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2017\\\/03\\\/rajesh-karmani1.jpg\"},\"articleSection\":\"\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Amelia Urry\"}],\"creator\":[\"Amelia Urry\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Grist 50\",\"logo\":\"https:\\\/\\\/grist.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/12\\\/cropped-grist-600x600-1.png\"},\"keywords\":[],\"dateCreated\":\"2017-03-21T06:30:22Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-03-21T06:30:22Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2017-03-21T06:30:22Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/grist.org\/p.js"},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/grist-50-profiles\/364209","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/grist-50-profiles"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/grist-50-profiles"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/57007830"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/grist-50-profiles\/364209\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/490290"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=364209"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grist.org\/grist-50\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=364209"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}