The annual Global Restaurant Investment Forum (GRIF) showcases the hottest global hospitality concepts and gives attendees a place to connect with other professionals and investors. The latest edition took place in Amsterdam from 25-27 of February. This year, the forum brought Winnow on board to discuss solutions to help the hospitality industry tackle the issue of food waste.
The sixth annual Global Restaurant Investment Forum (GRIF) featured three days of conference sessions, culinary tours, and networking receptions where attendees were able to connect with more than 350 investors, operators, and innovators of the hospitality world. Additionally, the GRIF presented global trends by introducing disruptive technologies that can transform the way business is done in the sector.
During the theme of “The Evolution of Sustainability – Profit with Purpose”, updates and solutions were discussed regarding the global war against food waste. The focus was on how businesses can incorporate sustainable principles into their business models to tackle food waste at the source.
Our Commercial Director Philip Verey, uncovered the results from a yearlong case study using Winnow’s pioneering technology. Winnow’s smart tools have the potential to have a revolutionary impact on both a business’ bottom line and the global war against food waste.
At the GRIF’s previous event in Riyadh, Ignacio Ramirez, our Managing Director in the MENA region, spoke about the pressing problem of food waste and the best ways to run a more profitable kitchen. Through our extensive research, we debunked the myth that most of the food waste in the hospitality sector comes from the customer’s plate by analyzing over 450 kitchens.
We found that more than 70% of food wasted occurs before it gets to the customer. Over 60% of total food waste by weight is thrown away because of overproduction and is responsible for over 80% of the cost of the waste. Tracking food waste is the first step to reducing it.
Food waste presents an important challenge to the hospitality industry, but there is great savings potential for businesses in addressing the issue. We would encourage all managers and operators to see food waste as an opportunity to significantly cut costs while also contributing to the country’s sustainability journey.
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