Hotels map food waste at breakfast buffets

A first group of hotels in the Netherlands have collaboratively mapped food waste. Over the past period, participating hotels mapped, among others, how much and what foods remained after their breakfast buffets. The results were analyzed by Wageningen University & Research and shared with the participants. The data provides insights into where food waste is happening, helping them to focus their efforts on reducing food waste.

To measure is to know 
Monitoring creates insights into processes and forms a starting point from which improvements can be implemented. With this monitor, hotels in the hospitality sector are taking an important step towards reducing food waste together. By collectively gathering data, through digital weighing methods or manual measurements, they have contributed towards creating a sector benchmark. The analyzed data is based on 24 hotel locations: 3,400 measurement days, 96,000 kilograms of logged products and food scraps, and 850,000 guests.

First insights from the monitor 
The Hotel Monitor revealed the following, among other findings: 

• On average, 62,2 grams per breakfast guest is left over on the breakfast buffet. In terms of weight, this is equivalent to two slices of bread. Part of the leftovers from these breakfast buffets is still eaten by staff. 

• Most leftovers from the breakfast buffet contain bread and hot dishes. 

• The average plate waste at hotel breakfast buffets amounts to 53,9 grams per guest. 

Knowledge sharing for concrete solutions 
Beside measuring, the hotels engaged in a discussion with each other about best practices and ongoing challenges in reducing breakfast food waste, without compromising the guest experience. Several participants shared the tip of organizing a competition or challenge amongst staff, helping them take ownership of the food waste challenge. Communication towards guests also proved essential, as it helps maintain a high-quality guest experience when interventions are implemented. 

These first results provide valuable starting points for continuing to work together towards a smarter, more conscious, and future-proof breakfast buffet. 

Collaboration and participants 
Food Waste Free United is the initiator of this project, and the monitor was carried out by Wageningen University & Research (WUR), with support from the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, and EU Hadea. 

The hotels participating in this edition of the monitor are: Event Hotels, Hilton The Hague, Hilton Amsterdam, DoubleTree Soestduinen, DoubleTree by Hilton Amsterdam Centraal Station, Rosewood Amsterdam, Westcord Art Hotel Amsterdam, Westcord Fashion Hotel Amsterdam, Hotel Jakarta Amsterdam by Westcord, The Market Hotel by Westcord, Leonardo Royal Hotel Amsterdam, Hotel Ter Zand, and Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam. Orbisk and Winnow supported several hotels with their food waste monitoring.