Sustainable Food Trends
Food waste presents a significant challenge for the Hospitality and Food and beverage (F&B) industry. The European Commission's Food Waste Quantification Manual reveals that food service establishments are responsible for 12% (equivalent to 11 million tons) of global food waste. Although this is less than the 53% attributed to individual households, it remains considerable. It's crucial to emphasize that hotels and restaurants should not ignore this problem but instead seize it as an opportunity for improvement. According to the National Geographic and the Food and Agriculture Organization, 21% of meat and a staggering 46% of fruits and vegetables go to waste. To put it in perspective, for every kilogram of meat, 200 grams are wasted, and for every kilogram of fruits and vegetables, a whopping 460 grams are discarded.
Aside from the financial losses incurred due to excessive food wastage, companies can also play a vital role in assisting consumers to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. This article explores various approaches for addressing food waste and promoting sustainable practices within the food supply chain.
1. Innovative Food Production Methods
At the start of the value chain, food is discarded and often does not have the opportunity to be sold. Over one-third of all fruits and vegetables are discarded due to perceived imperfections [i]. ImPerfect Fresh Eats challenges this wasteful practice by celebrating imperfection and offering healthy, delicious meals made from "imperfect" produce purchased directly from local farmers at discounted rates. Following such practices, businesses can simultaneously reduce their environmental impact, support local farmers, enhance their brand image, and meet the growing demand from consumers for responsible and eco-conscious choices while taking care of their bottom line.
Another way in which agriculture can become more environmentally friendly is by increasing irrigation efficiencies and reducing the need for emission-heavy transportation. Space Farms, based in Georgia, offers sustainable agriculture with its indoor vertical farms. These farms can be built close to the end user, eliminating the need for transportation while presenting a unique farm-to-table experience. SpaceFarms' inaugural vertical farm within the Stamba Hotel supplies all Adjara Group restaurants.
Local production can manifest in unconventional spaces, including rooftops or underground settings. An illustrative example is the Walipini, an underground greenhouse originating from South America. Harnessing passive solar heating, the Walipini creates a consistently warm environment for year-round crop cultivation. This eco-friendly solution extends the growing season in colder climates, contributing to sustainable food production. Another innovative approach involves rooftop greenhouses, demonstrated by Lufa Farms. Apart from offering additional space for residents, these green spaces serve as educational tools for communities. Furthermore, rooftop greenhouses can be seamlessly integrated with other functions, enhancing their versatility.
2. Sustainable Packaging
The transportation of food from point A to point B often involves the use of various plastic and packaging materials.
In response to the challenges posed by conventional packaging methods, Chilean company Solubag introduced biodegradable and compostable bags that dissolve in water. Shifting the traditional value chain, Biofase, a Mexican company, innovatively transforms avocado pits into bioplastics, providing eco-friendly alternatives for various items, including takeaway containers, single-use plates, napkins, cutlery, and straws. Biofase's distinctive focus on avocado seed-based bioplastics utilizes the surplus waste from Mexico's avocado industry, contributing to a more sustainable and efficient production process.
In the realm of sustainable packaging, The Aggressive Good employs a unique strategy to minimize waste generated by food packaging. Their approach involves consolidating in-room amenities through dispensers. Guests can conveniently access common in-room snacks using dedicated containers and their key cards. This method eliminates the need for individually packaged items, such as a handful of almonds, for distribution to each room. Beyond reducing single-use plastic waste, this strategy enables hotels to offer their guests a more diverse selection of amenities, with containers filled with options like almonds, walnuts, peanuts, or even gummy bears.
Similarly, Loop actively implements the concept of package circularity in the shopping landscape. Their business model involves partnering with established brands to create refillable alternatives for their usual disposable products, integrating them into both physical and eCommerce stores. Loop manages a worldwide reverse supply chain, which involves collecting used packaging from consumers and retailers. This comprehensive process includes deposit return, sorting, storage, and the crucial step of delivering meticulously sanitized packaging back to manufacturers for the purpose of refilling.
Exploring deeper, an emerging idea that has captured considerable attention in research is the concept of edible packaging. For instance, researchers at the Pratt Institute [ii] were experimenting with the potential use of mushroom fibers to craft bowls. This approach would facilitate complete biodegradation, mitigating the negative impacts associated with plastic materials.
3. Reducing Food Waste
Bump by Mimica addresses food spoilage caused by premature disposal of perfectly edible food. It tackles inaccurate expiration dates by utilizing a tactile indicator called Mimica touch, which responds to temperature changes. When the label remains smooth, the food is fresh; once it turns bumpy, it is no longer suitable for consumption. Likewise, Keep It [iii], which was developed in collaboration with HelloFresh and Wageningen University & Research, offers an intelligent shelf-life indicator that calculates the actual shelf life of a product based on the temperature of its storage location. This could be particularly interesting for temperature-sensitive products such as fresh fish, red meat, and poultry [iv].
Beyond shelf life, Mori has developed an innovative food storage practice. A 100% edible silk-protein-based solution is sprayed on produce to slow down its decay through moisture retention, nutrient preservation, and enhanced food safety, effectively keeping food fresh at room temperature for a week.
There is a time when food is really too close to its expiry date or cannot be repackaged to extend its viability. In this case, Too Good To Go emerges as a game-changer, connecting consumers with surplus food items at discounted prices from restaurants, bakeries, and cafes to prevent them from ending up in landfills. In 2022 alone, the company was able to save 79 million meals from going to waste [v]. For consumers, this innovative mobile app provides an affordable dining option.
Kitro and Winnow leverage artificial intelligence through intelligent scales, cameras, and software to precisely measure, monitor, and actively decrease food waste. Offering chefs and kitchen personnel valuable insights into discarded items, these technologies empower businesses to pinpoint areas where waste can be reduced, leading to savings in both food and costs. These products can be strategically placed either within the kitchen or at customer-facing locations. By conscientiously informing kitchen staff and consumers about their food waste through the visual representation of a physical scale and the weight of discarded items, it creates a psychological impact, encouraging a reduction in food wastage.
In conclusion, the fight against food waste within the Hospitality and Food and beverage industries is a moral imperative and a strategic opportunity. With innovative technologies, conscientious practices, and a commitment to sustainability, businesses can simultaneously reduce their environmental impact, enhance their brand image, and meet the growing demand from consumers for responsible and eco-conscious choices while taking care of their bottom line.
Sources
[i] https://www.ifpri.org/blog/international-day-zero-waste-reducing-losses-fruit-and-vegetable-supply-chains
[iii] https://keep-it.com/
[iv] https://businessnorway.com/solutions/keep-it-shelf-life-indicators-improve-food-safety-and-reduce-waste
[v] https://www.toogoodtogo.com/en-gb/press/impact-report-2022