Problem: The global hospitality industry throws out $100 billion worth of food per year.

• Winnow Solutions is a UK-based company which has developed a smart meter to monitor and reduce food disposal in commercial kitchens.
• It comprises a scale, an LCD panel and wireless connectivity. Before workers throw anything away, they select the type of food using the panel, and after they dispose of the food, the system automatically weighs how much has been discarded.
• It also calculates and displays the dollar value of the wasted food, which is more relatable and impactful to business owners.
• The technology helps professional kitchens, particularly in hotels and schools, to better quantify food preparation and production processes, and save money.
• Customers typically save 3-8 % on food costs, and sites using Winnow can expect an ROI of 2x to 10x.

Company Website: Winnow Solutions 

Articles:  CNNMoney (Also Bloomberg, TEDx, Waste360)

Organizational Stakeholders who will need this technology solution will primarily be commercial kitchen managers, business owners in the hospitality industry or contracted caterers in school kitchens etc. The technology will be used day-to-day by kitchen staff.

Deploying the technology: 

1. Install the scale and LCD screen system in the food disposal bins in the kitchen.
2. Train employees on how it works, such that they will select the food type (or menu item) before throwing food away and the relevant amounts will be recorded.
3. Review daily reports to gauge trends and target changes in food quantities.