Smart Kitchen Initiative
Join the Smart Kitchen Initiative, a program that helps mid- to high-volume food service operators in Alameda County measure and prevent pre-consumer food waste. Participating kitchens receive food waste tracking equipment and customized staff training at no cost, helping them save money on food purchases and improve operations.
Why Measure Food Waste?
Because you can’t manage what you don’t measure! Food service operations typically throw away 4-10% of the food they purchase before it reaches a customer’s plate, due to overproduction, expiration, spoilage and trimmings. That’s $40,000 to $100,000 worth of food for every $1 million in food purchases! Measuring pre-consumer food waste is the first step toward reducing this number.
Who Can Participate?
Food service operators with annual food purchases of $300K or more, including:
- Contracted Food Service Providers
- Caterers
- Cultural and Sports Venues
- Educational Institutions
- Health Care Facilities
- Hotels and Lodging (with onsite restaurants)
How it Works
Participants receive free tools, technology and support for one year to track and measure pre-consumer food waste in order to spot opportunities to minimize and prevent wasted food. In turn, participants commit to implementing food waste tracking procedures, set food waste reduction goals and share results.
More Information
- Download a flyer about the initiative.
- Watch a 30-min webinar about the Smart Kitchen Initiative.
- Read Cal Dining’s success story.
- Read why the O.co Coliseum and the Alameda County Fairgrounds joined the Smart Kitchen Initiative.
- Watch a 2-minute video on how the food waste tracking equipment works.
- Watch a PBS feature on how the VA Medical Center in West Virginia is tracking food waste (9 min).
Interested?
Contact Cassie Bartholomew at CBartholomew@stopwaste.org or (510) 891-6516.