In this episode of SaaS Founder Stories, I chat with Fengmin Gong, founder of MetaFoodX, about how his team is tackling food waste, compliance, and operations in one of the most overlooked sectors in tech: institutional food service. From university dining halls to hospitality kitchens, this story is all about solving real-world problems — not just building dashboards.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
→ 40% of food in the U.S. is wasted — much of it during service and prep
→ MetaFoodX uses a 2-second IoT scanner to track weight, temp, and usage
→ The product was co-created with chefs, dining directors, and operators
→ It also replaces manual food safety logging and compliance tasks
→ The goal: create “intelligent machines,” not more dashboards
SOUND BITES
→ "Chefs were logging temps with pen and paper. Now it takes two seconds."
→ "You can’t build for the kitchen unless you’ve stood in one."
→ "Form factor mattered more than features — we had to fit into the workflow."
→ "Our early partners didn’t pay. They helped us win the category."
If you’re building for ops-heavy verticals or trying to co-create in tough environments, this one’s a masterclass in embedded product development. Subscribe to SaaS Founder Stories wherever you listen.
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