RMIT University has conducted a study for End Food Waste Australia on cutting down food waste in hospitality, with potential for small businesses to save thousands of dollars. Making small changes such as creating shorter menus, ditching pie warmers and normalising doggy bags are among the top recommendations.
Australia has the world’s largest cafe industry per capita outside of Europe, and the hospitality sector is responsible for more than 16 per cent of the nation’s food waste. End Food Waste Australia is leading the development of Sector Action Plans, as a key tool to reduce food waste through collaboration across the supply chain.
The RMIT researchers found food preparation and spoilage were the biggest culprits when it comes to both food and financial waste in cafe kitchens. Difficulty finding time to plan and streamline menus and overproducing food were key drivers of waste and reduced profits.
Lead researcher, Professor Tania Lewis, said the sheer amount of food waste from cafes was huge, but cafes with paired back, seasonal menus waste less food and save more money.
“Up to 60 per cent of an average cafe’s bin is filled with food, and we're not just talking about peels and stems – it’s also edible, quality food,” said Lewis.
“Our research found successful low waste cafes worked closely with their suppliers and adapted the menu to use in-season ingredients. Fewer menu offerings make stock control easier, as does allowing ingredient substitution for meal components – like seasonal pesto, chutney or jams.
“Cafes have small profit margins, so they really stand to win in a big way by reducing waste. For instance, using more of the produce they are buying – broccoli stems are just as delicious as broccoli tops,” she said.
Researchers found businesses could reduce food waste and costs by teaching staff skills including reducing food trim and preservation processes like pickling, freezing and dehydrating.
Other recommendations include reducing plate and portion size and encouraging customers to take home unfinished food. Buying aesthetically imperfect produce directly from farmers could also be a major cost saver.
Australian Foodservice Advocacy Body CEO, Tony Green, said the study produced timely and helpful advice, with hospitality increasingly feeling the squeeze from the costs-of-doing business
“It's not up to the foodservice industry alone to solve these issues, but we're committed to doing our bit and that's made easier with research such as this powerful study,” said Green.
The report also calls for further financial support for infrastructure like cool rooms and compost systems to help preserve and recycle foods.
Subsidies and tax incentives to help cafes and restaurants make these changes, along with support around menu planning, design and implementation, form part of the report’s recommendations.
Sample low-waste menus and practical tips for cafe owners produced as part of this study are available on the End Food Waste Australia website, in the Cafe Food Waste Action Plan.
RMIT and End Food Waste Australia have collaborated on this issue before, with a study last month showing unclear date labels and storage advice is causing food waste in households. The organisation also released a campaign on the UN’s International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste aiming to transform how households think about and manage food through simple changes.
