By Rebecca Cotton – for Pub Dining magazine
Unilever Food Solutions (UFS) is ramping up its promotion of sustainability, calling on Aussie chefs to reduce their waste by 20 per cent as part of this year’s Good Fork Week.
This figure is estimated to result in saving the average venue four tonnes of food waste (or the equivalent of 16 standard wheelie bins) annually, in a nation where $8 billion worth of edible food is thrown out every year(1).
Good Fork Week 2013 will mark the second year that Unilever Food Solutions has held the event as part of its commitment to the global Unilever Sustainable Living Plan. The event encourages all chefs and food operators to commit to reducing their environmental impact by making small changes to their operational practices and implementing effective waste management practices.
“Sustainability is quickly becoming good business practice in the foodservice industry," Anthony Lin, channel marketing manager for Unilever Food Solutions ANZ told TheShout.
"Our experience is that pubs are almost always experiencing cost pressures, with labour and food costs being of particular significance.
“Good Fork Week helps to raise awareness of sustainability issues in foodservice, whilst showing venues how to build better businesses through more sustainable practices."
In conjunction with the event, UFS has developed a free ‘Wise up on Waste’ app and toolkit. “The toolkit gives operators the tools and templates to measure their waste streams and make the optimal changes in their processes to reduce their waste – thus reducing landfill AND reducing food cost,” explained Lin.
"From 1997 to 2012 the population rose by 22 per cent, and waste generation increased by 145 per cent(2)," furthered UFS managing director Yezdi Daruwalla.
"Our population is growing at a rapid rate, increasing the pressure put on our environment and resources."
Participation is free for Good Fork Week 2013, which will run from Monday 7 October to Sunday 13 October.
For more information or to download toolkits and promotional material, visit www.UnileverFoodSolutions.com.au.
(1) Do Something, Food Wise; Food Waste Fast Facts
(2) Australian Bureau of Statistics; Waste Account, Australia, Experimental Estimates, 2013