The encyclopedia · Software & IT · Product decision · 2023–2024
SkipTheDishes turned grocery price data into recipes that saved Canadians millions
A live price tracker predicts the week's best grocery deals and turns them into chef-tested recipes.
SkipTheDishes
the move
Food insecurity reached record highs in Canada as prices rose more than 10% in a year, and families traded healthy food for cheaper, more processed options. Delivery brand SkipTheDishes and Dentsu Creative Canada responded not with a price-promise ad but with a tool: Inflation Cookbook.
The tool tracks real-time prices of 400+ ingredients across major retailers and 80+ locations, predicts the week's biggest price drops, and generates chef-inspired, nutritionist-vetted recipes built around those ingredients. It turns volatile grocery prices into something families can act on each week.
The initiative was built with Food Banks of Canada and Skip Express Lane, positioning the brand's grocery service as an innovative alternative to traditional options. Its data-driven design means it can expand to other regions and markets beyond Canada.
Results ran from utility to fame: a projected $21.8 million in total savings for Canadian families by December 2023, 28,600 weekly users, 400 million media impressions and more than 355 pieces of press coverage. The One Show recognized the work with a Merit in 2024.
why it works
- Real-time price data gave the tool a reason to be opened every week.
- Nutritionist-vetted recipes kept the savings healthy, not just cheap.
- Building it with Food Banks of Canada gave the brand credibility.
- The platform is designed to scale to other markets.
what transfers
A brand can turn a macro-economic problem into a utility: give people a tool that demonstrably saves them money with your service in the loop, and the data capability becomes the marketing.
what came after
Dentsu reported 28,600 weekly users, 400 million media impressions and more than 355 press mentions by the end of 2023, with $21.8 million in projected savings for Canadian families. The One Show awarded it a Merit in 2024, and the adaptable platform positioned SkipTheDishes as a data-driven grocery ally rather than just a delivery app.
references
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