Food Waste Intelligence

Kathy Cacciola, Google's Global Sustainability Lead - Food Program, recently participated in a panel discussion at the ReFed Food Waste Summit titled "Subtle but Successful: Hidden Solutions to Food Waste." As a Leanpath client, Google has made significant strides in food waste reduction, driven by a public goal of reducing food waste by 50% per Googler by the end of 2025 and achieving zero food waste to landfill. Here are the takeaways from this ReFed discussion.

The importance of continuous effort

Cacciola stressed that food waste reduction is an ongoing effort, not a one-time achievement. "[Leanpath CEO] Andrew Shakman and I talk about this often. The hard part is doing the easy stuff. Everyone, everywhere, every day," she stated, likening it to daily dental flossing – simple but often overlooked.

Google has already reduced food waste by 39% per Googler as of the end of 2024, well on its way to the 50% goal by 2025. However, Cacciola cautioned that this progress could be lost quickly without continued diligence. "The work continues," she said, emphasizing the need to bake waste reduction into operational expectations rather than viewing it as a temporary initiative. This includes seemingly small details, such as being mindful of how fruits and vegetables are stored to prevent accelerated spoilage.

With this continuous improvement kind of mindset, there's always the next low-hanging fruit, Cacciola added, highlighting that the journey towards zero food waste is an evolving process with constant opportunities for improvement.

Subtle but successful interventions

Google's approach to food waste reduction incorporates several "subtle but successful" interventions:

• Mindful Planning and Production: Basic practices like carefully planning purchases and production, and being mindful of how much food is displayed on serving lines, are crucial. Food placed on the line cannot be repurposed or donated, making thoughtful presentation key.
• End-of-Service Adjustments: Towards the end of service, Google cafes may switch from full buffet displays to pre-plated or made-to-order items. This not only reduces overproduction but also enhances the guest experience. A test in Google's offices in Europe showed a 57% reduction in overproduction waste with pre-plated items, despite a small 4% increase in plate waste.
• Optimized Salad Bars: Instead of displaying large quantities of every item, Google condenses salad bar offerings towards the end of service. The same variety of toppings is available, but in smaller, more frequently replenished quantities, reducing waste without compromising choice. This also frees up staff time by reducing upfront production.
• Strategic Food Donations: Google partners with regional produce suppliers for "reverse logistics," where viable excess food is picked up for donation.
• Thoughtful Kitchen Design: Designing kitchen spaces to enable easy trimming of vegetables and convenient composting, as well as incorporating just-in-time cooking stations in front-of-house areas (e.g., for scrambled eggs in 15-minute increments), contributes to waste reduction and a better guest experience.
• Friction Management: Google strategically adds or removes "friction" to influence behavior. For example, sugary sweetened beverages in micro-kitchens are placed behind frosted glass, requiring a bit more effort to access compared to readily available water, subtly encouraging healthier choices and reducing waste.

Leveraging technology and collaboration

Google leverages technology and fosters strong collaborations to drive its food waste goals:

• Leanpath Integration: Google utilizes Leanpath across most of its offices. A recent rollout of a new Leanpath AI feature automatically identifies food items from a top-five list based on a picture, streamlining the tracking process and minimizing user error.
• Data-Driven Insights: Integrating menu management systems like Crunchtime with Leanpath provides richer data. This allows teams to identify specific items, like "chicken parmesan" instead of just "chicken," leading to clearer insights and ultimately higher waste reduction.
• Vendor Partnerships: Google's food program is managed in partnership with food service vendors like Compass, Guckenheimer, Sodexo and others. Weekly meetings facilitate sharing best practices and driving performance improvements across the entire portfolio.

Prioritizing operational efficiency

Cacciola emphasized that while the environmental and social benefits of food waste reduction are important, framing the initiative around operational efficiency resonates more effectively with business and operations teams.

"If we lead with the framing of reducing food waste for the sake of the planet or helping people, it feels too far from the practical day-to-day business operations," Cacciola explained. "Using that lens and narrative really resonates more from a business and operational perspective. And then you can layer on the additional, … ‘and this is good for the planet and this is good for people.’"