TOOLKITS

Prevent

Tracking Food Waste at Restaurants with Winnow Solutions

Winnow Solutions

Product Type: All food products
Stage:  Foodservice Industry (restaurant, school cafeterias, catering operations, etc.)


Problem: 

A big challenge that many restaurants and hospitality businesses face is finding the right quantity of displayed food when providing buffets. Professional kitchens can waste up to 20% of food purchased. The wasted food is mainly generated during meal overproduction.

Solution: Winnow Solutions

How does Winnow work?

Investing in technology for better production planning and accurately measure food waste can help restaurants cut food waste in half.

Winnow is a smart system which helps restaurant/catering entities to monitor the amount and characterizations of the food that is thrown. The system includes an electronic scale which is placed under the bin and connected to a Winnow touch screen tablet. The Winnow software records and analyses the day’s waste.

Figure 1. The Winnow’s touched screen

The staffs working in the kitchen choose the types of foods that they are going to throw from the touched screen (Figure 1). The system then gives users the analysis of what type of food are wasting according to user’s demand.

 

Discover how the system works through a video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX1F5T_eyfQ

How Winnow works with you?

        For Chef: Gain visibility of your kitchen’s food waste. Save money and spend more time being creative with food.

        For Operations: Put a stop to wasteful spending and increase your profit. Improve customer satisfaction.

        Sustainability: Reduce your environmental impact and enhance your company’s reputation.

        Finance: Cut your kitchens food waste and save 3-8% on food costs.

 

Case studies of successful Winnow users in APEC Economies:

1.          Sofitel Kunming, China

“With the Winnow system we are able to get tangible data about our food waste, and based on that, we can make changes to reduce it. Winnow has also helped team become more aware of the issue of food waste.” (Mohammad Ali Kunhi, Executive Chef, Sofitel Kunming)

With simple changes, and with regular meetings to discuss their progress, the team managed to achieve great results:

        Reduce food waste by 56%

        Save over 133,000 CNY (~ $19,153)

        Avoid 20 tonnes of CO2 from being released. The equivalent of 51 miles driven by an average passenger car.

With simple initiatives, the hotel’s kitchen can make significant changes. The Winnow reports have pointed out to the kitchen that by preventing overproduction, they would be able to make a great improvement. Sofitel Kunming has been focusing on controlling the amount of food they cook on a daily basis. The project has also helped the team become more aware of the issue of food waste and it has also made the entire team work closer together.

Detailed information can be found here: https://blog.winnowsolutions.com/winnow-chefs-table-qa-with-mohammad-kunhi-from-sofitel-kunming?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=67953243&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--pj4M1_MEHecJsUrErmzRBQE3vyJct3okGbX4tZeTazAHKYv1JuxsoOo61vki5wHnFCRC4IK4tU-UIdfVYvxUJIvywuA&_hsmi=67953243

2.          Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, Thailand

Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit is a luxury 5-Star hotel centrally located in the heart of Bangkok’s business, shopping and entertainment district. Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit features 345 luxury rooms and suites, events space and catering service.

The initial pilot significantly reduced waste: after 15 weeks of operation Sofitel already achieved great results. Today, average waste by value is down by 50% from the start point. This would lead to $60,000 estimated annual savings per year.

The pilot also helped raise awareness of food waste to the kitchen team. Staff engagement was extremely positive, on average 88% of the food waste was recorded in the system. To incentivize the team, the hotel put in place a “Winnow Champions” program. The most engaged employees are certificated and badge they can wear with their uniforms.

 

More information can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk3NX9qHGe8

3.          Novotel Phuket, Thailand

Novotel Phuket Kamala Beach is a modern-designed hotel located in a unique location with direct access to the beach, only 30 minutes from the Phuket International Airport, and with views of the Andaman sea. The hotel offers an all-day dining restaurant, three bars, a swimming pool, spa, conference and meetings space.

Winnow gives me more control over my kitchen by sending daily reports that show which areas have higher waste. Thanks to the Winnow system, I am now constantly re-training the team to make sure we perform the best that we possibly can.” (Jirayu Jongjan, Executive Chef, Novotel Phuket Kamala Beach).

By measuring and managing food waste, the team is now achieving the following benefits:

        Saving an estimated 29,000 meals annually. It’s the equivalent of saving one meal for a third of Phuket Town’s population.

        The chefs never forecast too much or too little, cooking the necessary amount of food. In addition, the Executive Chef is constantly retaining his team to keep them engaged and maintain reduction level.

        Reduce food waste by 71%, saving an estimated $53,670 yearly.