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An innovative and accountable approach to food waste is what secured the CSER Award for Eurest this year. The business and industry company is made up of a team of 5,000 people who are responsible for serving more than 4.5 million meals a year across 700 client sites, including household names such as Amazon, Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, VW Group, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Royal Mail.

The wider Compass group has significant sustainability ambitions, including a commitment to net zero by the end of 2030 and for 60% of menus to be plant-based by 2024, as well as a 50% reduction in food waste by 2025. But as the B&I arm of the group, Eurest has been laser-focused when it comes to driving green strategies to achieve big results – it has already reduced its food waste by 40% since 2019, with a goal to reach 50% by 2025. Last year alone it saved 39 tonnes of food, equating to 86,950 meals. Judges commended Eurest’s efforts, as the caterer admitted that consistently collecting data from 400 locations across the country was a huge challenge – for instance, it was no longer as simple as saying three bacon slices had been wasted as each slice had to be weighed and the data inputted daily.

When the system was first introduced, waste reporting levels dropped to 55%, so the business held workshops with chefs, operators, general managers, regional managers and account directors to explain the importance of the project. Colleagues who were struggling with the procedure were given extra support, and reporting rates now stand at 82%, with Eurest aiming for 95% by the end of the year.

When teams became more accountable they started to innovate and menus were devised to use up the most-wasted ingredients, such as vegetable trimmings and coffee grounds, resulting in recipes such as coffee grind granola, kale stem pesto, ‘anything goes’ kimchi and broccoli stalk soup. Meanwhile, the 12 best-selling meat dishes were analysed and some of the meat was substituted with plant-based protein, such as lentils in a beef bolognese, to make a hybrid meal with a lower carbon footprint.

This data can also be fed back to clients who can now clearly understand the impact the efforts are having on their own carbon footprint and bottom line. Food items that are unsuitable for re-use or recycle are redistributed to charity or apps such as Olio and Too Good to Go, allowing employers such as Jaguar Land Rover to offer leftover food to employees at discounted prices.

Eurest has clearly been on quite the journey with its food waste programme, and it is the measurability and scalability of its efforts that makes it a worthy winner of this year’s Catey.

What the judges said

“Eurest is well on the road to meet its targets, having achieved, in the last year alone, an impressive saving of 39 tonnes of food representing nearly 87,000 meals. It is very clear that there is a strong commitment.” Chris Durant

“The supporting evidence showcased a company where a focus on CSER is truly embedded in its business.” Greg Mace

The shortlist

Elior UK

ESS

Eurest

Houston & Hawkes

Restaurant Associates

Past winners

2022 Eurest

2021 Eurest

2019 CaterED

2018 Cardiff County Council

2017 Vacherin

2016 Bartlett Mitchell

2015 Vacherin

2014 Compass Group UK & Ireland