Commercial kitchens can become eco-friendly and sustainable with some very simple steps.
As a global community, we’re not doing enough to save our planet. Taking steps to combat climate change will be among many people’s New Year resolutions for 2024.
Changes in attitudes and priorities are driving new sustainability strategies for kitchens and restaurants in Britain. As well as positively impacting the environment, it’s also improving operational efficiency.
Why become eco-friendly?
The hospitality sector is still suffering in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020. Enforced lockdowns have been followed by more pressure due to the squeeze on consumer spending and rising inflation.
It became clear that the industry needed to look at making changes in operational practices to achieve greater efficiency and save money.
In addition, consumers are increasingly favouring companies that have an eco-friendly ethos. A recent report revealed that 81% of consumers prefer to spend their money with sustainable businesses.
The survey by Smartest Energy found four out of five people were more likely to choose a brand that had a positive approach to protecting the environment.
Today’s commercial kitchen needs to demonstrate a responsible attitude towards the environmental and social impact of its operating methods.
Hospitality businesses are following a growing trend towards addressing food waste, energy efficiency and sustainable sourcing.
Unfortunately, despite the need for greater sustainability, 30% of UK businesses still don’t recycle waste from back-office operations.
Hospitality businesses wondering how to become more sustainable in 2024 need to follow new strategies.
1. Reduce food waste
Food waste with an estimated value of £19 billion, weighing 9.5 million tonnes, is thrown away in kitchens across the UK every year.
Rather than sending perfectly good food off to landfill, sustainable kitchens are taking inventive steps to utilise it.
Smart chefs need to maximise the use of their inventory, not only to reduce waste, but also to increase efficiency and run the kitchen in a more cost-effective way: unused vegetables and cut-offs can be used to make soups, stocks, broths, chutneys, jams and kimchi. With food prices increasing, it makes sense.
In addition, software can be used to monitor and analyse stock levels, spending and ordering habits. This can lead to greater efficiency and cost savings. Some software even provides menu suggestions after analysing the current stock.
2. Sustainable sourcing
Menus have traditionally been tailored to use seasonal produce and ingredients when they are most abundant and at their best.
Now, there is further pressure to choose local produce with a low carbon footprint from a sustainable source. This is better for the environment, especially in terms of transporting the produce.
Although it won’t necessarily be more expensive, business owners will have to determine what impact even a slight increase in costs will have on their overall pricing structure and gross profit target.
Some green campaigners have suggested restaurants, takeaways and cafes should be required to print on their menus the carbon emissions created by each dish.
3. Energy efficient kitchens
Energy prices are still high, despite having dropped slightly since their recent peak. They represent a big spend for commercial kitchens.
You should consider your energy consumption, both at the front and back of house.
If you’re perplexed about how to be eco-friendly, when it comes to the energy supply in a restaurant, you’ll be surprised. There are new items of smart kitchen equipment on the market that can monitor and manage your consumption.
They can control the lighting, heating, air conditioning and other energy-hungry equipment to make sure it’s all running at peak efficiency.
You will also receive data on what is using the most energy and why, an early warning of upcoming maintenance needs and improved diagnostics.
Smart equipment provides restaurants with an improved business solution, without having to revamp the whole kitchen.
4. Dynamic pricing and agile menus
Employ dynamic pricing and agile menus to address issues such as wasting ingredients and complete meals. Use digital displays and menus to adjust prices in real time as you go along.
This means a restaurant can discount or promote high stock foods, or expire other items, to better manage the inventory.
Using a digital ordering app will enable you to upsell items, such as making “frequently purchased together” suggestions to diners.
Agile menus enable you to respond to pressure on kitchen or waiting staff. For example, you can streamline the menu during busy periods and temporarily remove items that are too time-consuming to prepare.
Kitchen hygiene
Good kitchen hygiene is essential in all circumstances. Never be so disorganised that you’ve left out-of-date food in the fridge or plated-up meals standing in the hot kitchen for too long. This will lead to additional waste, which can add up in the longer term.
Good quality PPE is important to the efficiency of a kitchen, due to the stringent hygiene requirements of the catering sector. Use the best quality hygiene supplies because they will last longer, and you won’t need to replace items as frequently.
When you do need to dispose of any PPE supplies, always do so correctly, recycling what you can and sending as little as possible to landfill.
Market your business as though you really care about diners, employees and the environment and prove you’re honest and trustworthy through your actions - this will increase customer loyalty.
Positive word of mouth will boost trade and instil trust that you’re proactive in reducing your negative impact on the planet.
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