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3rd place @ Cornell Design-a-thon 2025

ROLE

ROLE

ROLE

Product Designer

Product Researcher

Product Designer

Product Researcher

Product Designer

Product Researcher

TOOLS

TOOLS

TOOLS

Design Thinking

User Research

Prototyping

Visual Design

TIMELINE

TIMELINE

TIMELINE

2 days

2 days

2 days

Background and Inspiration

Cornell's UX Design Club hosted a design-a-thon, and the theme was sustainability

Cornell's UX Design Club hosted a design-a-thon, and the theme was sustainability

Cornell's UX Design Club hosted a design-a-thon, and the theme was sustainability

Sustainability encompasses more than just environmental concerns—it also includes cultural, economic, and social sustainability which were all core areas the hosts encouraged participants to delve into with their projects.


At the time, I was taking a course that examined the anthropological aspects of food in France and was enamored with the initiatives that the French government took to decrease food wastes in grocery stores by obligating these stores to donate unsold food within its expiration date. To the right is a novel I read to learn more about this topic!

Framing the Issue

The more I researched I found that household waste is the leading cause of global food waste, surpassing all other sources

The more I researched I found that household waste is the leading cause of global food waste, surpassing all other sources

The more I researched I found that household waste is the leading cause of global food waste, surpassing all other sources

In 2022, according to UNEP, 19% of food available to consumers was wasted at the retail, food service, and household level, in addition to the 13% of the world's food lost in the supply chain, as estimated by FAO. link (United Nations)

Competitive Analysis

After comparing existing solutions I found a gap where competitors failed to account for fresh produce

After comparing existing solutions I found a gap where competitors failed to account for fresh produce

After comparing existing solutions I found a gap where competitors failed to account for fresh produce

Many solutions targeted businesses or agriculture while trying to address food waste, but many failed to target food within households, and specifically fresh produce.

Many solutions targeted businesses or agriculture while trying to address food waste, but many failed to target food within households, and specifically fresh produce.

Many solutions targeted businesses or agriculture while trying to address food waste, but many failed to target food within households, and specifically fresh produce.

Going Deeper

Further research revealed that almost 50% of food waste came from fresh produce

Further research revealed that almost 50% of food waste came from fresh produce

Further research revealed that almost 50% of food waste came from fresh produce

Primary Goals

Reduce food waste through expiration tracking, usage prompts, and restocking alerts.

Reduce food waste through expiration tracking, usage prompts, and restocking alerts.

Reduce food waste through expiration tracking, usage prompts, and restocking alerts.

Solution Overview

A mobile application designed to combat household food waste through AI-powered visual recognition, predictive shopping assistance, and smart inventory management

A mobile application designed to combat household food waste through AI-powered visual recognition, predictive shopping assistance, and smart inventory management

A mobile application designed to combat household food waste through AI-powered visual recognition, predictive shopping assistance, and smart inventory management

KeepFresh is the application I created to target the primary issue of food waste while also making household food tracking much more efficient. The app's approach to reminding users when a food item is low in quantity allows them to be proactive in ensuring they purchase new ingredients, and it also keeps users mindful of the amount of waste the contribute.

Key Features

I developed three key features to address the goals I had outlined during my research

I developed three key features to address the goals I had outlined during my research

I developed three key features to address the goals I had outlined during my research

These features prioritize efficient interactions that many tracking apps lack, causing poor user retention. I focused on quick, straightforward daily-use features.

These features prioritize efficient interactions that many tracking apps lack, causing poor user retention. I focused on quick, straightforward daily-use features.

These features prioritize efficient interactions that many tracking apps lack, causing poor user retention. I focused on quick, straightforward daily-use features.

My Reflections

If I had more time, I'd love to develop a measure of food saved to incentivize people to continue using this app

If I had more time, I'd love to develop a measure of food saved to incentivize people to continue using this app

If I had more time, I'd love to develop a measure of food saved to incentivize people to continue using this app

Although I consider this project to be successful in the short amount of time I was given to complete it, many judges gave me feedback that I'd love to implement if I were to actually develop this app. I think gamifying this app to show how much food you did not waste would be a creative way to make this app more enjoyable for users.

Although I consider this project to be successful in the short amount of time I was given to complete it, many judges gave me feedback that I'd love to implement if I were to actually develop this app. I think gamifying this app to show how much food you did not waste would be a creative way to make this app more enjoyable for users.

Although I consider this project to be successful in the short amount of time I was given to complete it, many judges gave me feedback that I'd love to implement if I were to actually develop this app. I think gamifying this app to show how much food you did not waste would be a creative way to make this app more enjoyable for users.

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© Sophia Manalo 2025

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