AI to Reduce Food Waste at All Mandarin Oriental Hotels Globally

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(06/06/24)
 Mandarin Oriental has unveiled plans to install
Winnow’s food waste technology across all its hotels by the end of
2025.

Four of the group’s hotels that have been testing
the technology – Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong; Mandarin Oriental
Hyde Park, London; Mandarin Oriental, Miami; and Mandarin Oriental
Jumeirah, Dubai – have reported an average reduction in food waste
of 36% (66 tonnes), annualized net savings of US$ 207,000
and a reduction of 289 tonnes in CO2e emissions.

According to a report published in 2021 by Tesco
and the WWF, food waste accounts
for up to 10% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, the
equivalent of nearly twice the annual emissions produced by all
the cars driven in the US and Europe.

With that in mind, Mandarin Oriental has set
itself the goal of reducing food waste at its hotels by 50% by
2030, a commitment that aligns with the United Nations
SDG 12.3, which aims to halve global per capita food waste by
2030.

Cafe Causette at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong

“Our
commitment to sustainability goes hand in hand with our promise to
deliver exceptional guest experiences,” said Torsten van Dullemen,
Mandarin Oriental’s Group Director of Sustainability and Area Vice
President Operations. “The integration of Winnow’s
technology across our global portfolio is a bold step towards
reducing our ecological impact and reinforcing our position as an
industry leader.”

The Winnow technology implemented in Mandarin
Oriental’s kitchens enables staff to seamlessly track exactly what
wastage occurs throughout their production stream.

Designed to require minimal interaction, the
Winnow system consists of a camera, smart-scale and tablet. The
camera, featuring computer vision trained to identify over 600
food items, automatically identifies waste as it is thrown away.
The weight and cost of the food discarded is then instantly
calculated and displayed.

All captured data is uploaded to the cloud, where
food waste from each day is recorded and analysed. With the
preparation of daily, weekly, and monthly reports, Mandarin
Oriental kitchens receive the necessary information to drive
operational efficiencies, change behaviors, and innovate on
techniques in preparation, cooking and plating.

It is expected that Winnow’s data will enable kitchens
to save between 2-8% on
food costs.

“Mandarin Oriental is at the forefront of sustainability in luxury
hospitality,” said Marc Zornes, CEO & Co-Founder of Winnow. “Our collaboration is already demonstrating the
powerful impact of technology and data in reducing food waste.
We’re honoured to support Mandarin Oriental in their ambitious
goals, and together, we’re not only setting new industry standards
but also making a tangible difference for our planet.”

Initiatives to manage food waste will also expand
beyond
existing ones, including colleague educational campaigns,
overhauling buffet operations, donating excess edible food, and
innovative composting programmes to improve soil condition and
support efficient absorption of rainwater.

See also:

Hotel Waste, Single-Use Plastic and Climate Change – HD Video
Interview with WWF (2018).

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