FOODPRINT REPORTING ASSISTANT
Executive Summary:
Elior UK developed the Foodprint Reporting Assistant (FRA), an innovative inhouse solution designed to reduce food waste across its operations. By simplifying data entry and automating waste tracking, the app helped reduce food waste by 30% in its first year. FRA is a key part of Elior’s Net Zero commitment to cut food waste by 50% by 2030. The system engages teams at all levels, supporting both operational efficiency and sustainability goals. The FRA has not only driven significant reduction in food waste but has also earned Elior UK an award for Best Food Waste Prevention Project, and highly commended for Best Waste Reduction Technology at the Waste2Zero Awards.
Introduction:
Elior UK is one of the UK’s leading contracts catering companies, operating in sectors including business and industry (B&I), NHS Trusts, care and retirement living, education, stadia, and heritage sectors. Elior UK employs over 10,000 colleagues across more than 1,400 client locations. As part of the Elior Group, which was founded in 1991 and is a world leader in catering and multiservice, Elior UK has long been dedicated to its corporate social responsibility (CSR) priorities, particularly around reducing food waste. As part of its ongoing efforts to cut food waste, Elior sought a cost-effective solution that could be scaled across its diverse client base to help drive change.
The Challenge:
Elior UK had previously tested a range of food waste solutions including third party technologies and manual tracking methods. While these systems offered useful features, they were often too expensive, difficult to scale across diverse operations, or time-consuming for busy teams.
Elior required a flexible, user-friendly tool that could be adopted by teams of varying sizes, from small education kitchens with limited budgets to large hospitality venues. Moreover, the company sought a system that would connect seamlessly with its operational data, enabling actionable insights without adding complexity.
The Solution: The Foodprint Reporting Assistant (FRA):
Elior UK developed the Foodprint Reporting Assistant (FRA), an in-house app designed to streamline food waste tracking and reporting. The tool was created after testing various solutions and realising that a custom-built system would be the most cost-effective and scalable option. The FRA app enables teams to track food waste by simply selecting the type of food (eg. meat, vegetarian, vegan) and waste category (eg. prep, plate, spoilage) without needing to weight the waste. The app automatically calculates the weight and the cost of the waste, ensuring accurate and consistent data for both internal reporting and sustainable goals.
The app was designed to be user-friendly, accessible, and low-cost, with tablets provided at a minimal expense or use of existing devices. This approach made it feasible for sites with limited budgets, such as those in the education sector, to adopt the solution. By linking to Elior’s menu management system; the app provides actionable insights on our menus, costs and purchasing data that support decision-making, creating a powerful tool for driving improvements at every site.
Results and Achievements:
Since its rollout, the Foodprint Reporting Assistant (FRA), has achieved significant success, particularly in reducing food waste across Elior UK’s diverse client base. Within its first year, the app has helped reduce food waste by 30% (overachieved). Teams quickly adopted the solution due to its simplicity, with positive feedback from key users. Notable achievements include:
- A 30% reduction in food waste in the first year of implementation.
- Increased awareness and engagement around food waste, with teams actively using the app to track waste and optimises operations.
- Improved food forecasting, allowing for more accurate predictions of customer footfall and menu popularity.
- Better evidence of food waste trends and challenges, leading to more targeted actions by central procurement teams.
- Surplus edible food being donated to local initiatives, reinforcing the company’s commitment to sustainability.
- The FRA’s success has been recognised externally, winning the Best Food Waste Prevention Project, and high commended for Best Waste Reduction Technology at the Waste2Zero Awards.
User feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with team members praising the app for its ease of use and effectiveness in helping them better manage food waste.
Conclusion (Key Lessons and Takeaways):
The Foodprint Reporting Assistant (FRA) has demonstrated that a custom-built, cost-effective solution can be an effective tool in reducing food waste. By making waste tracking simple and accessible for all teams, regardless of size or budget, Elior UK has fostered greater engagement with sustainability initiatives. Key takeaways from this initiative include:
- User-centric Design: Making the app easy to use ensured high adoption rates across all sites.
- Cost-effectiveness: By developing an in-house solution, Elior created a scalable tool that could be rolled out across all sites at minimal cost.
- Data-driven action: Automating waste tracking provided valuable data that helped the company drive operational improvements and sustainability initiatives.
The FRA proved that even a large, complex organisation, creating a tailored solution that meets specific needs can yield significant results. This success was further recognised through an industry award, reflecting the systems impact on sustainability and operational efficiency.
Looking Ahead: The Future:
Elior UK plans to continue expanding the use of the FRA across its operations, particularly in the education sector where external food waste technologies are often too costly. The goal is to get to 100% of sites on board by 2026. As the system matures, Elior also plans to explore integrating additional data sources, and analytics to enhance forecasting and reporting, further supporting its sustainability goals. Elior is committed to achieving a 50% reduction in food waste by 2030, with the FRA playing a key role in reaching that target.
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