Food waste fighting app, OLIO, has expanded into 35 more countries including the US, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.
The decision to open up internationally was driven by the fact that around 10% of OLIO app downloads were coming from overseas, with a number of companies, organisations, individuals and even governments asking for the app to be made available in their countries. According to OLIO co-founder Tessa Cook, some people were getting “very frustrated” that they couldn’t use the app.
So far, around ⅓ of OLIO activity in the UK occurs in areas where the OLIO team have not yet focused their marketing efforts. In other words, people are finding out about the app organically, through word of mouth and through OLIO Ambassadors (volunteers). With that in mind, OLIO have opened their net globally.
The latest version of the app follows OLIO’s new “open source” strategy to make the app as global and scalable as possible. This has involved localising time zones for notifications, globalising emails and CRM copy, as well as automating their ambassador programme so people can quickly and easily sign up to help get OLIO up and running in their area.
“Our first international share took place within 24 hours between two people in Seattle…” says Tessa. “We’ve also had food added in Spain, Italy, Bulgaria and more.”
So far, the OLIO team have actively launched the app in London, Bristol, Bath, Brighton, Oxford and Edinburgh; and will be launching in Cambridge, Cardiff and Newcastle this summer.
