LeanPath will be showcasing its new system in booth #5672 in the Technology Pavilion at the NRA Show. LeanPath Online is a complete system to measure food waste, analyze data and make changes to prevent recurring waste in the future. LeanPath focuses on pre-consumer food waste prevention, understanding that food service operations throw away four to ten percent of food purchases prior to serving them to consumers. The system also includes features to track and minimize post-consumer food waste.

The next generation of the LeanPath Tracker, an automated food waste collection terminal, functions as the foundation for the new system. The new LeanPath Tracker offers a large 10” touch screen, the ability to capture photos of each wasted item, an optimized user interface, and a signage mode which displays waste generation and reduction results to staff instantly. Many of the design changes have been informed by social science findings about human engagement and behavior change, as well as gamification.

“The world has awoken to the immense and fixable challenge of food waste, with source reduction clearly emerging as the optimal strategy,” explains Andrew Shakman, LeanPath co-founder and president. “LeanPath has been at this work for nearly a decade, never wavering from our focus on food waste prevention and minimization, and we’re excited to take things to the next level. This game-changing technology will set a new standard for food waste automation and analytics.”

The data captured at the tracking station is transmitted wirelessly to LeanPath Online, a cloud-based data warehouse where managers and culinary leaders can instantly view comprehensive waste data and insights. The online analytics are organized to make it easy to spot waste reduction opportunities and drill-down to understand specific waste entries. Managers can set up rule-based alerts via text message or e-mail to be notified when, for example, waste levels exceed a certain value. This enables an operator to proactively manage and control food waste in a way that has never been available before.

LeanPath will be previewing the new LeanPath Tracker and LeanPath Online at booth #5672 at the NRA Show. The product will be released in Q4 of 2013.

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About LeanPath
LeanPath, Inc. provides food waste tracking systems which enable foodservice professionals to dramatically reduce food waste, lower food costs, and operate more sustainable facilities. We partner with customers in 48 states and numerous foodservice segments, including hotels, restaurants, colleges, hospitals, corporate dining facilities, contract management, casinos, military installations, schools, grocery stores and senior living facilities. For more information, visit www.leanpath.com.

Media Contact
Janet Haugan
503-928-9085
jhaugan@leanpath.com

By tracking daily you will begin to identify day-of-the-week trends. Following are a few lessons learned from LeanPath clients.

• Baked Goods—Adjust par levels and distribution plans as the week progresses. Lower par levels toward the end of the work week at locations that will be closed on weekends and become more active in transferring product during the day between locations.
• Grab-n-Go Production—Examine your daily Grab-n-Go waste closely. One LeanPath client discovered that expiration tags containing only a date were being thrown out 24 hours early, so they added a date and time to avoid staff confusion and cut down on waste.
• Specials Stealing the Show—One LeanPath client noticed that waste was exceptionally high every Wednesday. When we dug deeper, we discovered they were running a weekly special station was diverting a large number of sales away from the other static stations. This special station was extremely popular each week, however production levels at the static stations were not being adjusted down to compensate for the shift in demand. By adjusting production levels according to customer preferences, this site dramatically lowered Wednesday waste.

Examining your pre-consumer food waste every day will help you spot trends, make changes and prevent that waste from occurring in the future.

Executive Chef Reuben Sandoval

Laramie County Community College (LCCC) began using the LeanPath System in late August 2012 to track all of its food waste across dining, daycare, catering and the coffee shop. LeanPath sat down with Chef Rueben Sandoval to hear about how they’ve been using the system to reduce food waste.

Tell me a little about your background and role at LCCC.
“I’ve been in foodservice for 12 years—I’ve been a chef for 8 of those years. I’ve worked at the Governor’s Residence, the Denver Country Club, worked independently as a specialty cake designer, as well as volunteered demonstrations for lower-income families, teaching them how to cook and use food properly while reducing waste and cost. Here at LCCC I have various duties—I manage the flow of food, catering, training/staff advisement and maintain/write menus in conjunction with Sodexo standards.”

What are some strategies you’ve used to reduce waste?
“We saw mostly vegetables being wasted so we started figuring out what we could do. If items were expiring in the cooler, how could we curb that from happening? One solution we developed was to blanch the vegetables, cool them and freeze them in storage bags. To prevent fresh herbs from being wasted we started putting herbs into muffin trays, adding just enough water to cover and freezing them. When we thaw them out, they maintain the same flavor and color. We also finely chop herbs, lay them on lined sheet pans and put them on top of the oven—by the end of the day we have dried herbs.”

What changes have you seen in terms of culture?
“Our SWAT [Stop Waste Action Team] is the whole staff—we are all accountable. Every week we post data by the time clock and bring it to meetings and talk about it. We discuss what’s left-over and brainstorm creative recipe solutions daily. The attitude and culture has changed in the kitchen as far as understanding what we’re doing, why we are doing it and holding each other accountable. Where we used to have four dumpsters, now there are two. The staff is aware that by reducing waste, we save money that can then be put toward pay raises, equipment purchases, new or replacement utensils, etc. They are involved and motivated as a team.”

What is the best part about using the LeanPath System?
“The data that comes back—it’s so fantastic. My staff members are visual learners. They want to see if they’ve improved; want to see progression. I can tell them night and day, our numbers are good, food cost is good…but the data print-outs and digital scale with their names on it makes them feel included and shows them that they’re doing a great job.”

In their first three months using the LeanPath System, LCCC reduced pre-consumer food waste by 33%.

• Transform batch cooking into made-to-order. Too often, batch cooking means “one or two big batches.” This always leads to food waste because you can’t match production to demand. Cook in smaller portions, with the goal of getting as close to cooking-to-order as possible.
• Garnish last. Wait to put the seasonings or sauces on products until right before they go to the line (example: waiting to put a glaze on carrots). This increases re-use opportunities for those carrots and ensures a fresher product.
• Make “half and half” pizzas. During the last hour of the service period, make one pizza with different sets of toppings on each half. You can still accommodate different tastes without creating extra waste.
• Make frozen herb cubes. By freezing fresh herbs in ice cubes, you preserve their color and flavor. You can use just what you need and save the rest for later.
• Encourage proper consumer portioning: Make sure the serving utensils on self-service lines are sized to the correct portion size. Don’t put a large cook’s ladle out when you want your guests to take only 20% of that as a standard portion.

We want to hear from you! Share your tips with the LeanPath community on the LeanPath Facebook Page.

Executive Chef Timothy Cunningham

Northern Arizona University (NAU) began using the LeanPath System in late June 2012, installing automated tracking systems in both of their dining halls. LeanPath sat down with executive chef Timothy Cunningham to learn more about their experience with the system and changes they’ve made to reduce food waste in their kitchens.

Tell me a little about your background and role at NAU.
“I’ve been at NAU since ’96. I’m originally from San Diego and started in foodservice when I was 16 years old—over 30 years of experience now. Coming from the restaurant environment to residential dining has been a learning process. I’ve really enjoyed it.”

What were your expectations for the LeanPath program?
“Just being more aware of the waste—training front-line staff on how the program works and what shouldn’t be wasted. When you see a dollar amount, the staff members are like ‘wow—this is really worth that much?’ It keeps them more conscious of waste and diligent in finding ways to reduce it.”

What are some strategies you’ve used to reduce waste?
“Vegetables were a high-waste item for us. So we started utilizing left-over veggies to make veggie broth for our stir-fry station. We also properly cool down veggies from our Simple Servings Station to use them in other recipes the next day. We recently made a creamy veggie cheddar soup (rather than just broccoli cheddar) and it got very good reviews. Our diner station used to have a lot of burger and chicken patties left over. We’ve reduced that by doing more cook-to order once we reach a certain time before closing. Anything else can be ground up to be re-used or cut up for soups, etc. We’ve done a great job at reducing waste and left overs.”

What is the best part about using the LeanPath System?
“Awareness—bottom line. Sharing the information with front-line staff. It also provides us with measurable data to share with the university as it relates to the strategic plan for waste reduction.”

What would you say to a chef/manager that is not currently tracking food waste?
“You better start now!”

In their first five months using the LeanPath System, NAU has reduced pre-consumer food waste by 21%.

To learn more about how the LeanPath program could help your organization reduce food waste, contact us at info@leanpath.com.

Register here: https://leanpath-events.webex.com/leanpath-events/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=660340710

Most hospitals and health systems throw out 4-10% of food before it even reaches a patient or visitor’s plate, due to overproduction, spoilage and excessive trim. By tracking this waste and making changes to prevent it, you can reduce pre-consumer food waste by as much as 80%, save money on food purchases and save the environment.

This Web seminar will explore strategies for food waste prevention, including daily tracking, awareness and team culture. Food and nutrition leadership from Sanford USD Medical Center will discuss their integrated strategy to reduce food waste, including pre-consumer food waste tracking, which helped them save nearly $100,000 in less than one year.  They will explore how waste data revealed some immediate changes, including menu modifications, seasonal adjustments and retraining staff. They will also discuss how they have successfully involved staff in the process of reviewing the waste data and making changes, which has heightened overall awareness about the cost of food and the importance of minimizing waste.

This presentation will present tips to reduce food waste and provide actionable guidance on how to get started with a food waste prevention program at your hospital or health system.

What You Will Learn

• Strategies to reduce food waste at the source and minimize the negative environmental impacts.
• How Sanford USD Medical Center has successfully reduced pre-consumer food waste by more than 40%.
• How culture impacts food waste and how you can build a team focused on prevention.
• Getting started today with an action plan to reduce food waste at your hospital or health system.

This Web seminar is open to anyone who wants to learn more about food waste prevention in the hospital setting.

Click here to register: https://leanpath-events.webex.com/leanpath-events/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=660340710

With food costs steadily increasing, it is essential for restaurants to tackle food waste. Pre-consumer food waste is waste that is within the operator’s control–things like overproduction, expiration, spoilage and excessive trimmings.

LeanPath has numerous success stories that prove tracking your food waste enables you to dramatically reduce it. And reducing your food waste typically results in a 2-4% savings in annual food costs (a great way to combat the rising costs and protect your bottom line).

Read more stories here: http://leanpath.com/casestudies.shtml

Chef Justin Fredrickson, MGM Grand Buffet

Chef Justin Fredrickson began working at the MGM Grand more than 12 years ago and has been in his current role of Executive Chef of the buffet for nearly four years. MGM Grand first implemented  the LeanPath System in its conference services kitchen and expanded to the buffet four years ago by installing a Tracker in the main production kitchen.

I recently interviewed Chef Justin to understand more about MGM Grand Buffet’s success with food waste prevention. Following are his answers to my questions.

Why did you decide to implement the LeanPath System in the Buffet?
“We  wanted to see where we could save on food costs and welcomed the idea to bring it to the buffet. It had been very successful in conference.”

How have you used your LeanPath data to  drive down waste?
“Right away we spotted an opportunity to change to cook-to-order; that was due to the ValuWaste System. Rather than cooking massive amounts, now we cook more right when we need it. That was the first big thing as far as eliminated waste—that little change has helped save about $8,000 a month in food cost savings.”

What was your goal for the program?
“Our goal was to identify where the waste was coming from and quickly respond.  For example, it helped us identify a large amount of trim waste from the carving station. So now we send it to the commissary kitchen where they can make stocks. We found there was too much bacon being produced, so we adjusted par levels and use any left-overs in recipes like country gravy.”

How did the staff respond to the  program?
“At first, no one wanted to weigh. But we promoted it as a good thing. Then they started to see the benefit—how it actually decreases the amount of work they do. The staff has become very efficient now that we have a standard in place—you must weigh the waste. [LeanPath] ValuWaste has helped tremendously in how people go about their daily business, and they are proud of what they do. This atmosphere has moved our buffet in the right direction, where we are very profitable.”

What would you say to chefs that aren’t currently tracking food waste?
“Kitchens that aren’t tracking waste are missing out on finding where 2-3% of their food costs are going. When you can zero in on your food waste, you can control your prep, ordering and production. It’s all connected.”

“With the LeanPath System we can react in a really quick matter. There has never been a system in place for chefs to see what’s being thrown away and track why. It’s helped us to become very efficient. The colorful charts and graphs make it easy to see what’s going on daily and weekly. It’s a great thing to have and post—the system is very chef friendly.”

Since implementation of the LeanPath Food Waste Tracking System, the MGM Grand Buffet has reduced pre-consumer food waste by 80%. They are saving between $6,000 and $9,000 a month in food costs due to food waste prevention.

For more about the MGM Grand Buffet’s success with LeanPath Food Waste Tracking Systems, read the case study.

As foodservice operators, many of us are trying to get upper management to focus on this issue and do something about it. That’s one of the reasons LeanPath created a new food waste infographic: to shine light on the food waste problem, bringing alarming statistics and information together in one place to help tell the story. But we didn’t stop there. We also highlighted what we believe is the solution: prevention.

LeanPath analysis concludes that foodservice operators throw out an average of 4-10% of food before it reaches consumers, which equates to $8-20 billion of food waste in the U.S. out-of-home foodservice and restaurant industry every year. By focusing on food waste prevention through daily tracking, you can help solve this crisis!

Check out the infographic below or visit www.foodwastestats.com to share it with your friends and colleagues.

LeanPath Food Waste Infographic

It’s a statistic we hear far too often in our industry. And it’s the enormity of the food waste problem that led Dana Gunders of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to author a new issue paper titled “Wasted: How America Is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill.”

This paper examines the inefficiencies in the U.S. food system. By identifying food losses at every level of the food supply chain, this report provides the latest recommendations and examples of emerging solutions, such as making “baby carrots” out of carrots too bent (or “curvy”) to meet retail standards.

Gunders points out that we have much to learn from the European Union and United Kingdom, where public awareness campaigns and food waste resolutions have achieved marked gains in saving food waste. We also know that within the U.S., food waste is up 50% from what it was in 1970, proving that there’s certainly something that can be done about this issue.

In order to improve resource productivity and start solving this problem, there are 4 groups of change agents that need to take action: the national government, state and local governments, businesses and consumers. By increasing the efficiency of our food system, we can make better use of our natural resources, provide financial saving opportunities along the entire supply chain, and enhance our ability to meet food demand.

To download the paper, click here: http://www.nrdc.org/food/wasted-food.asp