With Climate Conference (COP26) happening sustainability issues are at the top of the agenda. Food Waste is a huge global problem – 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted every single year and it’s estimated 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions can be associated with this.
In the UK, the hospitality sector is recognised as one of the biggest culprits, generating over 1 million tonnes of food waste each year. This is not just taxing to the environment but it’s simultaneously costing the sector itself a staggering £2.5 billion annually – that’s an average of £10k per outlet in the bin instead of in their profits.
With the hospitality industry already running on wafer-thin margins and facing staff shortages saving both money and time where they can is essential. Implementing changes doesn’t need to be complicated either, it can be easier than you think. Innovative technology solutions can play an important role in transforming how hospitality businesses operate. Simple to use software and mobile technologies can be utilised to enable agile digital menus, promote in-stock items, or allow effective inventory management. It all adds up and implementing these changes collectively can help businesses creatively begin to address the food waste issue.
Make the most of insights
Innovations accelerated by the pandemic have allowed high-functioning operating platforms to become available to even the smallest independent businesses. Whether a local coffee house or a boutique burger joint, they have the opportunity to run their businesses with the same level of data-driven decision making as the larger chains.
Whether it’s using online booking systems or through an integrated order and pay solution, businesses are seeing real benefits in leveraging guest data to provide insights into the way food is ordered, prepared, and served, so chefs can make better informed stock purchases and greatly reduce food waste.
Mix up the menu options
Knowing more about your customers can only lead to better decisions. Understanding customers eating habits is a great example. Knowing what customers are leaving on their plates can be useful for identifying menu areas to tackle. For instance, carbs such as fries and chips are usually the most likely to be left uneaten, so instead of having them as part of an order, offer them as an optional side dish. Equally, small things like drink garnishes such as lemon wedges can easily be made optional for customers ordering via online menus. Empowering consumers to be able to customise their order not only helps reduce waste, but it can also create engagement through involving them as part of the solution.
Additionally, digitised menus can give restaurants the flexibility to quickly create discounts in the backend systems on unpopular dishes, especially near closing time. Any leftover produce can be used creatively for a lunchtime special the following day without the need to re-write or print out new menus. This also applies to seasonal menus and promotions such as Happy Hours at pubs and bars.
Involve your community
Consumers are becoming increasingly digitally driven and socially conscious making more sustainable choices. We’re seeing a rise in ‘direct to community’ applications offering businesses a channel to get rid of surplus foods. Rather than throwing away leftover food, leverage apps which help redistribute this to local charities, or list it for sale on a digital marketplace at a discounted price. This is a simple way to reduce waste, recoup costs and help the environment. It can even help with the way your brand is perceived, potentially turning sustainably driven consumers into loyal customers.
Using technology to address the food waste problem not only results in significant environmental improvements, but as an industry notoriously plagued with wafer-thin margins, it also has huge economic advantages. Operating in today’s marketplace quite literally doesn’t have to cost the earth.
By Prask Sutton, Founder & CEO of Onvi
