New research finds hospitality sector should focus on reducing overproduction to fight food waste

New research by Winnow has found that the hospitality sector should focus on reducing overproduction to fight food waste.

Food waste is a global problem. A third of all food produced, 1.3 billion tonnes per year, ends up being wasted and this costs the global economy almost one trillion dollars annually. If food waste was a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases after America and China.

A global problem requires a global response, and UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 seeks to “ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.” The third target under this goal is to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains by 2030.

Food waste is an estimated $100bn problem (source: Winnow) within the hospitality sector alone. It is a common misconception that most of the food waste in the hospitality sector comes from the customer’s plate.

In an analysis of more than 450 kitchens using Winnow they have found that more than 70% of food waste happens before it gets to the customer. By focusing on overproduction, hospitality businesses can cut waste, costs, and their impact on the environment.

Winnow develops technology used by a growing number of organisations to cut food waste in their operations.

Food waste is traditionally seen as the sole responsibility of the kitchen. Research commissioned by Winnow, in partnership with The Caterer, found that 72% of those interviewed felt it was the job of the head chef and his or her team to minimise food waste.  

Lacking the right tools to efficiently measure waste, however, it is no wonder that around 5%-15% of all food purchased ends up in the bin (source: Winnow). With the introduction of digital tools like Winnow, chefs are now able to automate many of the administrative tasks required to measure waste. This gives team’s better visibility while also freeing up time for chefs to get back in the kitchen.

Working with thousands of chefs from all over the world, Winnow’s latest report also shares strategies to cut food waste at key stages. They suggest labelling techniques to minimise spoilage, developing standard recipe banks for your teams to reduce cooking errors and preparing food in smaller batches over service to reduce overproduction.

Read the full insight report here.

Winnow will join the Sustainable Innovation Hub at the Sustainable Innovation Forum which is taking place on the 9th and 10th December, find out more here.

About Winnow

Winnow develops digital tools to help chefs run more profitable, sustainable kitchens by cutting food waste in half. Trusted by thousands of chefs in almost 40 countries, Winnow is helping businesses like IKEA, Compass Group and Hilton save 18m meals a year from the trash.