Viewpoint: Cook your way to no food waste

Stop Food Waste Day this month is a perfect opportunity to meet the environmental challenge – and cut costs – says Ashleigh Taylor

Food waste is a huge problem for everyone in our industry, but we should all feel empowered to be part of the solution.

A third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally every year. If it were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world after the US and China.

In our industry, food waste is central to some of the biggest challenges we face, from environmental challenges to ongoing pressures on costs and supply. But as a collective, our industry also has the size, scale and influence to seriously reduce food waste and its impact. We know that reducing food waste not only helps to reduce our carbon footprint but also saves money – both at work and at home.

Innovation

Key to tackling this issue is technology and innovation. I am a firm believer that measurement and data allow us to make informed decisions and take action. I feel proud that at Compass Group we have set our own ambitious target of 50% food waste reduction by 2030, across the UK and Ireland and indeed globally. In 2022 Compass Group reduced its food waste by 28% across more than 2,650 sites in 28 countries.

To drive this reduction, within Compass Group UK & Ireland we have committed to the roll-out of a food waste recording system across our kitchens to support the accurate measurement and reduction of food waste. It is my personal mission to deliver this roll-out. Generally, one of the issues we’ve identified is that all kinds of food waste are often lumped together, which makes it difficult to understand where and why waste occurs. That’s why we have been working hard, developing our tech to help our people and clients understand which stages of foodservice produce the most waste, to identify specific and targeted interventions.

We’re championing our teams to measure and report on food waste across five categories: out of date, plate, post-production, pre-production, and retail. This data allows us to identify further opportunities to reduce food waste and to report on the results of implementing new ideas.

We are now planning to develop this capability further to bring together food waste, emissions reduction and commercial impact data. This detailed analysis will enable us to move this agenda forward within our business, measure success and drive further efficiencies wherever possible. Our people will use facts to share insights and deliver best practice. Our clients will see increased value and Compass Group further supporting their environmental goals.

Our people are key, and we rely on them all to deliver this work. More than 4,000 chefs within our culinary teams have been a force for good in creating change, and their knowledge and creativity helps to give a second life to food. Our chefs are amazing at getting the most out of every single ingredient – from preserving and pickling, to using the full carcass in recipes, and even using peels and stalks from vegetables.

Cookbook inspiration

We have seen our chefs do some outstanding work to drive forward our climate net-zero commitment. One way this has been highlighted is in Compass Group’s Stop Food Waste Day Cookbook, which launched last year, to inspire others to think about using up leftover or unused food. Our units use the book as a guide and inspiration and we’ve had great feedback from clients.

On 26 April, we will celebrate the seventh annual Stop Food Waste Day. It’s a global day of action that demonstrates the growing awareness and importance of tackling the issue. Compass Group launched Stop Food Waste Day in 2017, which supports our global and UK net-zero targets. Starting in our US business, the initiative launched in the UK a year later and has now gained traction as a global movement.

This year, Stop Food Waste Day will see action across our international businesses and in the UK. Our sectors will be working with the many people we serve every day to raise awareness – from those in offices to defence sites and sports stadiums, to name just a few. We are also seeing more suppliers and clients support the initiative, with their own innovations and ideas.

Stop Food Waste Day is a great opportunity for us all to move this agenda to the next level, but it’s more than just one day. Stopping food waste must be a year-round focus for us all in the foodservice industry, and I would encourage everyone to look at how they can use technology and data to enhance their own progress.

For more information, visit the website at www.stopfoodwasteday.com. It’s where you can download the toolkit, access the cookbook, and be inspired with some great ideas of what you can do to help.

Ashleigh Taylor is head of environment at Compass Group UK & Ireland