Tackling food waste

Context

As the world population continues to grow, so does the amount of food wasted. It’s estimated that
30-40% of all the food produced globally (equivalent to 1.3 billion tons) is wasted each year.^[7]

According to a recent report, in restaurants, a half pound of food waste is created for every
meal served – including leftovers on the plate and food wasted in the kitchen.

In 2023, we can expect to see customers putting more pressure on operators to be responsible
in all things – from sourcing to preparation and beyond – but particularly when it comes to food waste.
If it’s important to your customers, it should also be important to you.

_{Did you know?}

48% of 18-24 year olds in the UK have avoided dining out because of sustainability concerns^[8]

_{Did you know?}

The restaurant industry has the potential to gain $620 million by tracking and analyzing food waste.^[9]

Take-aways

_{^{Tips on how to flex your menu to cut back on food waste:}}

Offer different portion sizes so consumers can order according to their appetite.
Cook dishes on demand, or use past orders to forecast proper amounts.
Let guests choose personalize their meals – including sauces and side-dishes – so they won’t leave foods they dislike on their plates.
Train staff to avoid recipe and cooking errors and to follow serving size guidelines.
Skip the buffet offering, and stick with a-la-carte menus.
Use ugly produce – that's still safe to eat – and communicate why you’re doing it on the menu. After all, just because it’s ugly, doesn’t mean it’s not nutritious or delicious.

_{Did you know?}

When eating out, 29% of Australians leave food on their plates.^[10]