It Ain’t Easy Being Green: Three sustainability challenges in food service
With the celebration of Earth Day this month, we are encouraged to reduce, reuse, and recycle. The food service industry is a big player in sustainability and has made significant strides to make dining a more earth-friendly experience. Still, there’s more to do, and the challenges to overcome include:
Bin There, Done That – Americans throw away 120 billion pounds of food each year, which constitutes 40% of the nation’s food supply.(1) For food service, food waste reduction can result from improving inventory management, reducing portion size, and/or instituting a composting program, first in the back-of-house and then in the front-of-house.
Straws Suck (For the Planet) – The demand for single-use plastics increased significantly during the pandemic due to health guidelines that limited dining options to take-out only.(2) Following the pandemic, there is an opportunity to reduce single-use plastic consumption in ways that don’t sacrifice product quality. Things like switching from plastic to a bioplastic called PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoates). Poly-what? It’s a plastic alternative made from polyesters using a fermentation process that mimics nature.(3)
Save the Planet, Pay the Bills – Going green is great, but is it affordable? There are undoubtedly upfront costs to making the switch (e.g., upgrading equipment, additional training for staff, and switching to biodegradable disposables), but there are savings to be realized as well. Energy-efficient appliances, improved waste management practices, and a cleaner work environment can significantly reduce operational costs over time. Beyond savings, there is revenue associated with making sustainable changes. Nielsen found that 66% of consumers are willing to pay more for products from companies that they believe are committed to making a positive environmental impact.(4)
If you’re interested in how your operation can go green (or greener), we are ready to help you in that process. Simply click the link below, and we’ll help you get started.
1. Food Waste FAQs. (n.d.). U.S. Department of Agriculture. Retrieved March 19, 2024 from https://www.usda.gov/foodwaste/faqs
2. Molloy, S., Varkey, P., & Walker, T. R. (2022). Opportunities for single-use plastic reduction in the food service sector during COVID-19. Sustainable production and consumption, 30, 1082–1094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2022.01.023
3. Guide to PHA Bioplastic - Polyhydroxyalkanoates. (n.d.). Good Start Packaging. Retrieved March 19, 2024 from https://www.goodstartpackaging.com/guide-to-pha-bioplastic-polyhydroxyalkanoates/#:~:text=PHA%20is%20a%20bio%2Dbased,what%20is%20found%20in%20nature
4. Bar Am, J., Doshi, V., Noble, S., & Malik, A. (2023, February 6). Consumers care about sustainability - and back it up with their wallets. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/consumers-care-about-sustainability-and-back-it-up-with-their-wallets
