For healthcare foodservice operators, the pressure is coming from all sides. There are mandates to cut food costs, goals to increase operating revenue, and internal sustainability targets.

In a recent AHF Coffee Talk webinar, UW Health, a Madison, Wisconsin-based academic health system preparing 1.8 million meals annually, shared how they navigated these challenges. Joined by Lisa Boté and Amy Mihm from UW Health, the discussion revealed how swapping manual spreadsheets for AI-enabled tracking led to a 25% reduction in food waste in just six months.

Here are the key takeaways from UW Health’s journey.

Moving Beyond the "Spreadsheet" Method

Before partnering with Leanpath, UW Health attempted to track waste manually. The process was time-consuming and often inaccurate. A staff member could spend 20 minutes recording waste by hand, which discouraged consistent tracking.

By implementing Leanpath’s automated trackers, that time was cut to less than five minutes per week. More importantly, the system provided visual data. As Amy Mihm noted, "When you're seeing the waste [in photos], it is a whole different motivator than reading about that waste in a spreadsheet."

Navigating Budget Approvals with Creativity

A common hurdle for foodservice directors is navigating complex internal approval processes for new technology. However, the team at UW Health found that flexibility and creativity were key to getting started.

Rather than waiting for long capital budget cycles to align, they looked for ways to fund the initiative through their operational budget. By demonstrating the potential for immediate ROI and aligning the project with broader organizational financial goals, they were able to secure the necessary administrative support to move forward without delay. This allowed them to start saving money immediately rather than waiting for the next fiscal year.

The "Super Scooper" Strategy: Addressing Over-Portioning

One of the immediate discoveries UW Health made through tracking was the variability in serving sizes. They realized that "human nature" was leading to significant waste—some staff were heavy-handed ("Super Scoopers"), while others were frugal.

If a pan is designed to yield 24 portions but only yields 20 due to over-serving, the cost-per-plate skyrockets. UW Health launched a re-training initiative focused on:

• Identifying the correct spoodle or scoop for every dish.
• Standardizing serving techniques.
• Retraining staff to ensure consistency.

Staff Morale and the "Pent-Up Demand" for Sustainability

One of the most surprising insights from the webinar was that the push for waste reduction often came from the frontline staff, not just management.

Lisa Boté noted that during 60 and 90-day check-ins, new hires frequently expressed frustration at seeing food go into the trash. There was a "pent-up demand" among employees to be more responsible. By implementing a high-tech solution, the organization signaled to its staff that they were being heard.

The result? A cultural shift. Instead of mindlessly tossing food, staff began asking critical questions: Should this be donated? Can this be composted? How can we repurpose this?

The Results: Financial and Operational Wins

By aligning their waste reduction goals with their financial KPIs, UW Health saw immediate returns:

• 25% reduction in food waste within six months.
• Identification of ~4,000 lbs of waste valued at over $6,400 in the initial phase.
• Streamlined communication between retail servers and the kitchen to prevent unnecessary batch cooking near closing time.

As Amy Mihm summarized, the benefit wasn't just environmental—it made the job easier. As one frontline staff member told her regarding the new system: "It feels good that we aren't throwing food away... and it’s a lot less work for me, too."

Watch the full AHF Coffee Talk webinar to hear more about how UW Health is utilizing data to drive culinary innovation.