Thomas: “Some caterers look at national averages, but these are often far too general. There are large differences in the type and amount of food and drink wanted, depending on region, city and sector. These can easily be identified by filtering the data.”
SCALED-DOWN
CATERING
If you want to reduce your waste, you need to gain insight into your ordering behavior and how much of the lunch is returned. And for that you need the help of kitchen staff. Thomas: “But these staff don't want to be given more work, such as lists to fill out or extra checks. So you need to collect the data in a way that doesn’t bother them, and make sure they are motivated. On average, 25 days of a chef's year are spent cooking food that goes straight in the bin. If he or she can reduce the time prepping unwanted food, they spend fewer hours working.”
CATER TO
THE CHEF
Every day of the week has its own catering character. Nina: “We now know the ideal lunch for each day, for all participating businesses. For instance, the pilot revealed that Thursday was far and away the day with the most no-shows. Once you know that, it's worth phoning people the day before just to check if they are actually coming.”
CARPE DIEM CATERING
4 important insights
© Asics foodcourt
Be critical about portions. Wastewatchers monitored one lunch that provided about 800 grams per guest, which is far too much. Thomas: “While this was perhaps an exception, 400-500 grams was very normal. Yet 200 grams is more than enough for lunch. As a purchaser, ask yourself: could I eat all this myself?”
COMMON SENSE CATERING
Nina van den Berg
Project Manager Green Business Club
Thomas Luttikhold
Wastewatchers
Joost Scholten Xiao Er Kong
Nina van den Berg is Project Manager of Green Business Club Zuidas, the business center of Amsterdam. Together with Thomas Luttikhold from Wastewatchers, she started a pilot in which seven large caterers, who provide food and drink for 47 Zuidas businesses, were monitored in terms of food waste. Here are 4 important insights from the pilot.
EXPERT OPINION
2 min
MAKING OFFICE CATERING MORE SUSTAINABLE
© Asics foodcourt
Thomas Luttikhold
Wastewatchers
Nina van den Berg
Project Manager Green Business Club
If you want to reduce your waste, you need to gain insight into your ordering behavior and how much of the lunch is returned. And for that you need the help of kitchen staff. Thomas: “But these staff don't want to be given more work, such as lists to fill out or extra checks. So you need to collect the data in a way that doesn’t bother them, and make sure they are motivated. On average, 25 days of a chef's year are spent cooking food that goes straight in the bin. If he or she can reduce the time prepping unwanted food, they spend fewer hours working.”
CATER TO
THE CHEF
Every day of the week has its own catering character. Nina: “We now know the ideal lunch for each day, for all participating businesses. For instance, the pilot revealed that Thursday was far and away the day with the most no-shows. Once you know that, it's worth phoning people the day before just to check if they are actually coming.”
CARPE DIEM CATERING
Thomas: “Some caterers look at national averages, but these are often far too general. There are large differences in the type and amount of food and drink wanted, depending on region, city and sector. These can easily be identified by filtering the data.”
SCALED-DOWN
CATERING
COMMON SENSE CATERING
Be critical about portions. Wastewatchers monitored one lunch that provided about 800 grams per guest, which is far too much. Thomas: “While this was perhaps an exception, 400-500 grams was very normal. Yet 200 grams is more than enough for lunch. As a purchaser, ask yourself: could I eat all this myself?”
Joost Scholten Xiao Er Kong
Nina van den Berg is Project Manager of Green Business Club Zuidas, the business center of Amsterdam. Together with Thomas Luttikhold from Wastewatchers, she started a pilot in which seven large caterers, who provide food and drink for 47 Zuidas businesses, were monitored in terms of food waste. Here are 4 important insights from the pilot.
Making office catering more sustainable
2 min