THERE IS VALUE IN YOUR GARBAGE

Trim excess and be lean. The motto of any financial downturn. Yes, it's good advice, but instead of getting rid

of more, how about capturing value that you weren't capturing before COVID-19? With restaurants wasting

food with a worth of CHF100 - CHF1000 per day, the math is simple. There is value hiding in your trash.

No, we're not telling you to put compost pie on the menu, but rather to avoid creating it in the first place. Due

to changing guest behaviours and new hygiene limitations, what are some simple processes you can put in

place, that will help tackle food waste in your kitchen?

Food waste management tips post corona crisis. 

Trim excess and be lean. The motto of any financial downturn. Yes, it's good advice, but instead of getting rid of more, how about capturing value that you weren't capturing before COVID? With restaurants wasting food with a worth of CHF100 - CHF1000 per day, the math is simple. There is value hiding in your trash can.

No, we're not telling you to put compost pie on the menu, but rather to avoid creating it in the first place. Due to changing guest behaviors and new hygiene limitations, what are some simple processes you can put in place, that will help tackle food waste in your kitchen?

Reduce your menu size.

Did you know that according to a study by the Journal of Culinary Science & Technology, customers find that the ideal number of items on a menu is 6 items for your typical eatery, and 10 for fine dining restaurants? By reducing the amount you offer, you increase both satisfaction levels and the quality of what you serve. On the backend, with less for you to manage, there is less likelihood for mistakes and waste. 

Rationalise your ingredients

When creating a meal, think of the main ingredients and have a plan B and C for them. Using the same ingredients across dishes means less stock to manage and more flexibility. Don’t be afraid of it being repetitive, chefs know how to keep it interesting.

Have a chef special

Chefs are artists. The chef special is a waste-saving creative outlet. Give yourself space to improvise and reuse unsold dishes and ingredients to make a one-of-kind garbage cake!

You already got rid of the buffet

It might not seem like good news, but trust us, it is. With new hygiene best practices shared by the FDA, discontinuing buffet and self-service style isn’t only a sanitary sane decision, but a sustainable one too. KITRO’s experience working with a wide variety of restaurants has found that operationally, buffets are the primary source of waste. 

Be attentive.

Diner habits you noticed before might not apply anymore. Free traffic is reopening, home office will partially remain, and people are still hungry. Although it is hard to notice trends in these uncertain times, start tracking now. Your regular crowd that comes in for Thursday night drinks might show up for a Friday morning breakfast instead. Different orders, different customers, different times. Notice the changes and adapt.

Measure. 

It is the #1 most effective way to reduce food waste. Use a manual system if you have to, but the earlier you understand what you throw away, the more savings you can make. You can also use an automated solution that will measure for you, but no matter what, measure. How else will you know?

Donate.

The lockdown left a lot of people without a job and some even without the possibility to feed themselves and their family. Food banks around the world are working hard to feed the hungry. Yes it happens, even in Switzerland. If you have unsold and edible food, contact food associations in your area to see if you can make a contribution.

Your business is unique, and there are always reasons why you shouldn’t change, but there are many opportunities to make your business more efficient and more circular. If you would like to know how you can start reducing waste, we’re always happy to have a chat.