A female founder is transforming the way retailers handle excess inventory—and it’s all powered by AI. Disney Petit, the founder of LiquiDonate, has already saved over 3 million pounds of goods from landfills by connecting unsellable inventory with nonprofits and schools in need.
LiquiDonate is a game-changing platform that helps businesses seamlessly redirect surplus goods, reducing waste while supporting communities. With a network of 4,000 nonprofits, the company is helping retailers to optimize their inventory management, meet sustainability goals and address the growing challenge of waste in the retail industry.
Bringing LiquiDonate to Life
The idea for LiquiDonate emerged from Petit’s experiences at Postmates, where she worked on food security initiatives.
“We leveraged our delivery infrastructure to provide meals to communities in need, which highlighted the potential of using existing systems for social good,” she says. “This experience inspired me to address the broader issue of excess inventory in retail. I realized that unsellable goods could be redirected to nonprofits, reducing waste and supporting communities.”
Petit’s background in operations and product management at Postmates was instrumental in helping to bring LiquiDonate to fruition.
“Understanding the complexities of logistics and the importance of user-centric design allowed us to create a platform that seamlessly connects retailers with nonprofits,” notes Petit.
However, transitioning from an employee to a founder presented challenges, particularly in fundraising and scaling a startup. But Petit didn’t let these challenges stop her. Instead, they pushed her to grow and adapt, “reinforcing the importance of resilience and continuous learning,” she says.
How Can Retailers Work With LiquiDonate?
Retailers can easily integrate with LiquiDonate through their platform, which streamlines the donation process. All you need to do is create an account, list your excess inventory, and their system matches your items with nonprofits in need.
“We handle the logistics, including shipping and tracking, making it a hassle-free experience for retailers,” Petit explains. “This approach not only helps in reducing waste but also provides retailers with potential tax benefits and improved ESG metrics.”
LiquiDonate has over 4,000 nonprofits in their system that they can easily match with your excess inventory. With the way the platform works, nonprofits are able to specify the types of items they need, ensuring that donations are both relevant and useful.
“We prioritize building relationships with nonprofits that align with our mission to reduce waste and support communities,” Petit says. “By focusing on the specific needs of each organization, we ensure that the surplus inventory from retailers directly benefits those who can make the most of it.”
LiquiDonate not only helps nonprofits, but they’re also here to help retailers. The platform offers a sustainable solution for managing excess inventory. By donating unsellable goods, retailers can reduce storage and disposal costs, potentially benefit from tax deductions and enhance your corporate social responsibility profiles.
“Our platform also provides data analytics to track the impact of their donations, helping retailers align with ESG goals and communicate their efforts to stakeholders,” Petit says.
Looking toward the future, Petit plans to continue expanding LiquiDonate’s network of nonprofit partners, enhance their technology for better matching and logistics, and continue to drive awareness about the importance of reducing waste.
“Ultimately, we aspire to create a circular economy where surplus goods are consistently redirected to serve communities, minimizing environmental impact and maximizing social good worldwide,” she says.
