# HIBT Lab! Too Good To Go: Lucie Basch

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2023-03-09
- Length: 40m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-03-09-hibt-lab-too-good-to-go-lucie-basch

## Summary

Lucie Basch, co-founder of Too Good To Go, explains how she pivoted from a career at Nestlé and Nisle to fighting food waste by creating a platform that connects restaurants and grocery stores with consumers to sell surplus food in 'surprise bags.' She details the decision to collaborate with four Danish founders rather than compete, the early bootstrapped challenges of building an MVP with WordPress and a crashing app, and the strategy of using high-quality brands like Eric Kæser to validate the model. Basch also discusses the company's growth to 17 countries, its mission-driven fundraising with B Corp VC Bliss, and its expansion into industry partnerships like Nestlé to address shelf rotation and date labeling.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-03-09-hibt-lab-too-good-to-go-lucie-basch#t=0) Introduction: Lucie Basch and Too Good To Go
- [1:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-03-09-hibt-lab-too-good-to-go-lucie-basch#t=102) From Nestlé to Food Waste Awareness
- [7:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-03-09-hibt-lab-too-good-to-go-lucie-basch#t=432) Collaborating with Danish Co-founders
- [11:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-03-09-hibt-lab-too-good-to-go-lucie-basch#t=696) Early Pitching and MVP Challenges
- [19:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-03-09-hibt-lab-too-good-to-go-lucie-basch#t=1146) Business Model and Brand Perception
- [27:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-03-09-hibt-lab-too-good-to-go-lucie-basch#t=1626) Scaling to 17 Countries and US Launch
- [29:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-03-09-hibt-lab-too-good-to-go-lucie-basch#t=1768) Mission-Driven Fundraising and Impact
- [36:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-03-09-hibt-lab-too-good-to-go-lucie-basch#t=2206) Future Vision and Industry Partnerships

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Too Good To Go (product)
- Nestlé (company)
- Nisle (company)
- Eric Kæser (company)
- Bliss (company)
- Codabene (company)
- WordPress (tool)
- KitKat (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep. 8: Build a Food Business with Teeth - Chloe Sorvino, Forbes Magazine](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2020-08-13-ep-8-build-a-food-business-with-teeth-chloe-sorvino-forbes-magazine) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Reinventing the Pizza Bagel: Bagelverse's Jacob Cooper on Nostalgia and CPG](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-10-09-reinventing-the-pizza-bagel-bagelverses-jacob-cooper-on-nostalgia-and-cpg) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Sarah Nathan of NOOISH](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-06-28-founder-feature-sarah-nathan-of-nooish) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Greg Cahn of Tamar Date Coffee](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-09-12-founder-feature-greg-cahn-of-tamar-date-coffee) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder + Funder: Anabel González, Founder of Good Bacteria and Hayden Williams, Partner of BrandProject](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-05-09-founder-funder-anabel-gonzalez-founder-of-good-bacteria-and-hayden-williams-part) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

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