Food Waste Intelligence

Food waste is a challenge that impacts every facet of the foodservice industry, from financial viability to environmental responsibility. For Sodexo, managing the extensive foodservice operation at a large B&I client facility in the UK, tackling food waste became a top priority. Through a strategic partnership with Leanpath, they've not only significantly reduced their waste but also cultivated a culture of prevention among their staff.

The Challenge: A massive operation lacking centralized visibility on wasted food

The B&I client–a large pharmaceutical company–feeds about 3,000 onsite employees daily. This vast foodservice operation includes a main restaurant, seven coffee shops, 52 smaller coffee outlets, and 10 vending machines serving sandwiches and other items, all fed by a central kitchen.

A single Leanpath device is centrally located in the main kitchen, streamlining data input. Right away, the team realized they had a problem with wasted sandwiches from the vending machines.

“The vending machine would get filled three times a week, but there was really no control over it,” explains Venue Supervisor and the site’s Food Waste Champion Bob Thoresen (pictured above left). “It was just put sandwiches in, take the old sandwiches out and get rid of them.”

With the Leanpath data on wasted sandwiches and other items, the team clearly saw for the first time their full food waste stream and the improvements that could prevent that waste going forward.

The Opportunity: Operational excellence and efficiency gains

The data provided by Leanpath enabled Sodexo to make targeted operational changes that yielded impressive results:

• Staff engagement and education: “One of the first things we did,” says Thoreson, “is we just started talking about it. Awareness is key.” Nearly 40 staff members have been educated on the "why" behind food waste prevention—highlighting both the financial and environmental impacts. Thoresen often frames it for his team: "Imagine this is your own business. How would you feel if you were throwing this away on a daily basis?" This approach fosters a sense of ownership and personal responsibility.
• Vending machine optimization: A "fresh eyes review" led to the standardization of products across all 10 vending machines. This enables efficient stock management and allows for dynamic redistribution of items between machines based on demand. Instead of making more product to stock a low vending machine, they now move product around campus as necessary from one machine to another.
• Waste-informed ordering. The 52 coffee outlets all carry food as well as beverages and they put in orders everyday to the central kitchen on how much they will need for the following day. Now before they place new orders, they look at their food waste data to better forecast demand.
• Strategic meal deals: The introduction of a sandwich meal deal in the vending machines significantly boosted uptake, further reducing waste. Any items approaching their expiration date are moved to the cafe outlets for final-day sales.
• Inter-outlet communication: A dedicated WhatsApp group facilitates real-time communication between coffee outlets. If one outlet is short on a popular item, and another has a surplus, stock can be easily moved, minimizing waste and maximizing customer satisfaction. "It's just communication at every level," Thoresen states.
• Menu agility: Leanpath data directly informs menu adjustments. For example, a trial of in-house fruit pots in vending machines proved unpopular–leading to greater waste–due to existing free fruit deliveries on site, leading to their discontinuation and a focus on more successful items like made-in-house sandwiches and dessert pots.
• Goal setting: Utilizing Leanpath's reporting features, Bob sets weekly food waste goals, encouraging staff to be mindful of their ordering and waste reduction efforts.

The Impact: A 42% Reduction in Wasted Food

Overall, Sodexo has achieved a remarkable 42% reduction in food waste since implementing Leanpath. As Catering and Hospitality Manager Neil Parry added, “The financial savings have been massive” (pictured above right).

As Thoresen continued, "I believe that now more than ever, food waste is something that anyone in the catering or hospitality sector should be looking at regularly and should be very high on their agenda. It's going to help keep any business viable, the environmental benefits will also help the business gain credibility within the catering and hospitality sector."

Sodexo's success story is a testament to the power of data-driven insights, operational ingenuity, and a dedicated team committed to making a difference.