How Aussie cafés can save thousands

A new Australian study of small- to medium-size cafés has found making small changes could prevent hundreds of tonnes of food waste while saving businesses thousands of dollars.

Creating shorter menus, ditching pie warmers, and normalising doggy bags are among the top recommendations from the RMIT University study for End Food Waste Australia.

The researchers found food preparation and spoilage were the biggest culprits when it comes to both food and financial waste in cafe kitchens. Difficulty finding time to plan and streamline menus and overproducing food were key drivers of waste and reduced profits.

Australia has the world’s largest cafe industry per capita outside of Europe and the country’s hospitality sector is responsible for more than 16 per cent of the nation’s food waste.

Lead researcher Professor Tania Lewis said the amount of food waste from cafés was substantial.

“Up to 60 per cent of an average café’s bin is filled with food and we’re not just talking about peels and stems – it’s also edible, quality food,” she says.

Tania says cafés that adapt their menus to use in-season ingredients waste less food and save more money.

“Fewer menu offerings make stock control easier, as does allowing ingredient substitution for meal components – like seasonal pesto, chutney, or jams. Cafés have small profit margins, so they really stand to win in a big way by reducing waste.”

Tony Green, CEO of the Australian Foodservice Advocacy Body, which took part in the research, said the study produced timely and helpful advice.

“With hospitality increasingly feeling the squeeze from the costs-of-doing business, we’re pleased to be a part of this meaningful report to cut waste, hence reduced food costs,” he says.

Researchers found businesses could reduce food waste and costs by teaching staff skills such as reducing food trim and preservation processes like pickling, freezing, and dehydrating. Buying aesthetically imperfect produce directly from farmers could also be a major cost saver.

Other recommendations include reducing plate and portion size and encouraging customers to take home unfinished food. The report also calls for further financial support for infrastructure, such as cool rooms and compost systems to help preserve and recycle foods.

Subsidies and tax incentives to help cafés and restaurants make these changes, along with support around menu planning, design and implementation, form part of the report’s recommendations.

Sample low-waste menus and practical tips for cafe owners produced as part of this study are available on the End Food Waste Australia website.

The research was conducted by RMIT University for End Food Waste Australia, which is leading the development of Sector Action Plans as a key tool to reduce food waste through collaboration across the supply chain.

The Cafe Sector Action Plan Report, with RMIT co-authors Tania Lewis, Helen Addison-Smith, Sam Quirk, Kelly Donati, Jessica Danaher, Bhavna Middha and Sarah Polkinghorne, is published by RMIT University and End Food Waste Australia.