The first crucial step towards reducing food waste, is measurement.
Organisations in the Hospitality & Food Service sector are increasingly expected to implement sustainable practices in their operations.
Food waste costs this sector £3.2 billion annually, averaging £10k per outlet each year*. This is money that businesses should be retaining as profit, not losing to waste.
Uniware’s EPoS solution facilitates comprehensive food waste recording by product, either directly at the tills or through its cloud-based platform. This allows meticulous tracking of food waste.
For instance, if you prepare 100 portions of lasagna, sell 70, and have 30 left unsold, you can record the 30 as waste at the till or on the Uniware cloud portal with a meaningful description, such as ‘overproduction’.
How will food waste data help me make better decisions?
With this level of detail, trend analysis can reveal opportunities to reduce food waste and enhance efficiency. For in-depth insights to support waste reduction efforts, our clients can analyse their data using a comprehensive set of parameters, including:
- Dates
- Time period
- Quantities
- Reasons for waste
- Cost
- Operating units
Analysing food waste data allows caterers to identify frequently wasted items and their quantities, providing insight into purchasing patterns and trends. With this data, you can ensure that only necessary stock is purchased, minimising waste and reducing costs. By understanding which menu items are often wasted, caterers can adjust their offerings to prioritise dishes with higher demand and lower wastage.
This adjustment may involve modifying recipes, altering portion sizes, or discontinuing items that consistently result in high levels of waste.
Tracking food waste also highlights inefficiencies in kitchen processes and operations. For instance, if certain items are frequently wasted due to overproduction or improper storage, adjustments can be made to streamline production or improve storage practices, thereby minimising waste.
Leveraging food waste data from EPoS systems enables caterers to make data-driven decisions that optimise operations, reduce costs, and enhance sustainability.
