KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 -- With Malaysians facing rising living costs while thousands of tonnes of food are discarded daily, homegrown app Value Food is looking to tackle both problems by connecting consumers with unsold food from restaurants, cafes, bakeries and grocers at lower prices.

The surplus food marketplace allows businesses to sell excess food through "Surprise Bags", giving consumers access to meals, baked goods and groceries at between 50 and 70 per cent below their original retail prices.

In a media statement, Value Food said the app has recorded more than 100,000 downloads and partnered with over 300 merchants since its launch.

The platform has also rescued more than 80,000 Surprise Bags from going to waste, which it estimat...