Member Article

Eco efficiency advisors pioneer money saving scheme for hotel industry

WASTE is a major headache for the hospitality and catering industry. It costs money and produces damaging greenhouse gases when disposed of to landfill.

Increasingly producers, manufacturers, caterers and consumers are looking to save cash and stop wasting valuable resources. Yorkshire based, Eco Efficiency Advisors, Green Gain could have the solution.

In conjunction with the Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP) they have piloted a scheme for Welsh contract caterers that has had dramatic results.

Already, businesses as diverse as caterers, caravan parks and hotels are reporting savings in excess of £14,000, but importantly, in an industry where getting rid of waste costs money, it is demonstrating significant carbon reduction benefits.

Now the Bradford business is looking to roll it out across the whole of the UK, specifically in Wales and SCotland where buisness in the hospitality and catering sector can access grant funding.

For Emma Jenkins, of EJ Catering Ltd, the savings she has made have enabled her to employ another chef and grow her business.

Based in Cardiff, Emma has been catering for corporate and social events since 1992. She won’t compromise taste and the quality of the produce for cost. But that comes with a premium. Emma realised her waste was costing her both in terms of overheads and her sustainability credentials. She wanted that to change.

“We knew we were wasting a lot of food but weren’t sure where in the purchasing and production cycle we could make the most efficient savings,” said Emma.

“Green Gain identified a lot of the wastage was due to lack of adequate refrigeration and food preservation,” said Emma.

“They suggested we buy a refrigerated vehicle that enables us to keep unused food fresh to bring back to our premises for reuse,” she said.

“The cost savings are a bonus; key for us is the reduction in the amount of waste sent to landfill and the reduction in our CO2 emissions. We are dedicated to using organic produce so being able to reduce the waste we generate sits comfortably with our commitment to sustainability.”

Ashley Robb is a director for Green Gain. He said: “WRAP was keen to extend the Hospitality and Food Service Voluntary Agreement (HaFSA) to catering contractors in Wales. As part of the process they offered interested companies targeted waste minimisation support to get them started,” he said.

“Green Gain was asked to go in to these companies and pinpoint high levels of unnecessary waste and identify measures that could be adopted to minimise impact.

“Suggestions included better procurement and portion control, segregation of food in preparation areas, better refrigeration to capture reusable food and encouraging behaviour change so that consumers became part of the waste reduction process,” he added.

“Saving money is good for business, but critically, in the long term, thinking about reducing disposal to landfill and CO2 production makes good commercial sense.”

Green Gain is now turning its attention to Scotland where the leisure industry could potentially convert waste to savings using similar methods.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Carmel Harrison PR .