Module 4 : How to ‘Lean and Green’
Food Services
OVERVIEW
While this module has a main focus on the food service
sector, many of the principles will apply to all food
businesses.
We look at the main overheads in a food business, and
highlight how to implement resource efficiencies. We
demonstrate simple measures on how to green your business
and reduce overheads.
Learners will be able to develop an environmental policy and
implement sustainable practices in their business.
The module includes a number of case studies demonstrating
simple measures to lean and green food services.
REDUCING COSTS
The main overheads in a food business are :
Waste
Energy
Water
We will take you through various strategies to reduce cost and
environmental impact.
STEP ONE Understand your costs and Monitor consumption
STEP TWO Audit equipment
STEP THREE Design and implement a conservation plan
STEP FOUR Train staff
Waste
What are you paying for ?
Are you paying for volume of waste or by weight of waste ?
(increasingly waste collection companies are charging by
weight).
What are the unit costs –
per bin, tonne, type of waste,
rental, lift.....create a
spreadsheet of your costs
across the annual calendar.
In this example, what happened in
December, busy period,
part time staff?
Cost of Waste
1 kg Bag of sugar costs €1 while 1 kg of Food Waste costs €2
What controls do you have to control Food Waste ?
Your business pays for the food, pays to prepare the food,
and finally pays to dispose of food waste
Segregating Waste (approximate costs)
An important waste management approach for your
business, while these amounts will differ per country, the
principle still applies …
Landfill
€ 250 per tonne
Food Waste € 80-150 per
tonne
Recycling
€ 40-50 per tonne No Waste
€ 0 per tonne
Source: Failte Ireland www.failteireland.ie
Best Practice Waste Management
• Reduce waste going to landfill by segregating waste, remember
recyclable material costs one quarter of waste going to landfill
• Have sufficient bins in premises clearly labelled or colour coded
this will assist staff especially during busy periods
• Train staff
• Revise purchasing policy regularly and focus on tight stock
control
• Talk to suppliers – Can they take away containers, pallets as
part of supply contract?
• In food service, review portion sizes / portion control
Case Study – Waste Management
The Cosy Cottage is a restaurant located in Co. Donegal,
Ireland . It has seating for 30 diners and serves breakfast,
lunch and evening meals.
In 2012, the owners introduced a waste management
strategy as part of their policy to implement a ‘leaner greener
menu’. The changes effected were:• In order to minimise incoming waste packaging, better
planning of food purchasing was implemented
• 90% of food is now sourced locally
• Containers are collected for free by agreement with
several suppliers
Case Study – The Cosy Cottage
•
Food preparation processes were revised
• Better portion control was implemented
• A programme of staff awareness and training on food waste
was implemented
• The financial benefits were very clear from the outset…..
Cost savings
€3000 per annum
Investment
€0
Payback period
Immediate
Environmental Benefit
1.5 tonnes less waste going to
landfill
Energy -
Understanding your consumption
• Average Unit Price - Divide total bill (net of VAT) by total
units (Day+Night) = Average Unit Price
• Actual or Estimated – make sure you notify actual readings
monthly to avoid surprises on estimated readings
• Can you access on-line meter readings – examine
consumption – especially when the business closed.
• Are you paying any penalties ? If so, get supplier to explain
your bill to you
Energy and Equipment
Who controls your equipment? You, your staff or “Its always
been that way” ?
• Sometimes it is common practice to switch on equipment when
staff begin work in the morning, equipment may not be needed
immediately, when asked the response is often ‘it has always
been this way’
• Create a list of all energy using equipment – recording all
energy using equipment and recording the energy consumption
in Kwh will give staff an idea of energy consumption (this will
appear close to the model number on most equipment and also
in user manuals, if not easy to access an online search will give
energy consumption of a particular piece of equipment)
Energy and Equipment
• Decide and instigate clear guidelines as to when equipment
will be turned on/off – This sounds very simple but often
equipment is turned on when not required
• Train your staff - Staff awareness is key, efficient use of
equipment is part of the overall environmental policy to
conserve energy, water and minimise waste
• Give feedback – Monitoring energy use and give positive
feedback if it is evident that energy consumption is being
reduced, staff will feel part of the process and take real
ownership
Source: Inishowen Development Partnership Green Food Business Training 2013
Identifying Costs – Energy
Typical costs in Ireland
Item
Energy
Used
Kwh
Average Potential
unit cost Annual
Energy
Usage Kwh
12
45720
Potential
annual cost
25.4
Estimated
Hours of
use per
annum
1800
10 Grid
Combi Oven
Deep Fat
Fryer
Double
Door Fridge
Dishwasher
Toaster
Freezer
Electricity
Gas
28
1250
12
35000
4200
Electricity
1.4
2600
12
3640
436
Electricity
Electricity
Electricity
42
2.4
1.4
2200
1440
5500
12
12
12
92400
3456
7700
11088
414
924
5486
Reducing Costs -Energy
Example - Cafe Restaurant
• Rotary Toaster ( 2.3KWhr) was
switched on for 14hrs each day
• Reviewed need for this practise –
‘always done this way’
• Trained staff to turn off and use
for 2 hrs/ day
• Supplemented toaster with ‘Pop
Savings
• €1,400 / annum
Up Toaster’
Source: www.greenbusiness.ie
Reducing costs - Energy
Restaurant Kitchen
• Operating 2 Bain Marie’s
( 9KWhr) for 16 hrs each day
• Reviewed need for this practise
• Trained staff to turn off and use for
8 hrs/ day
Savings
€2, 000 /
annum
Source:
www.greenbusiness.ie
Lighting (particularly relevant in food service)
• Who controls your lighting? You, your staff or “Its always been
that way”
• Create a list of all the bulbs in use – front/back
• Decide when they will be on/off
• Halogen lights extremely energy inefficient, consider replacing
with LEDs (see case study)
• Train your staff
• Enforce it
• Give feedback
How much does your lighting cost?
Create a template to really track usage and cost
Location
Type
Wattage
Number of
bulbs
Hours in use
Lobby
Restaurant
Kitchen
Halogen
Halogen
Fluorescent
Double D
Halogen
50
50
46
110
48
16
40
24
Toilets
Total Cost
4500
2400
3000
Average
Electricity
Cost
15
15
15
1200
15
172
3712
864
331
SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS TO BE MADE BY REPLACING LIGHTS WITH LEDS
Location
Type
Wattage
Number of Hours in
bulbs
use
Lobby
Restaurant
Kitchen
Toilets
LED
LED
LED
LED
5
5
7
5
110
48
16
24
4500
2400
3000
1200
Average
Electricity
Cost
15
15
15
15
Total Cost
371
86
50
21
Case Study - Energy Efficient Lighting
Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa
http://www.ballyliffinlodge.com/
•
Replaced 420 halogen (30 watt and 50
watt) spots in corridors, lobby,
restaurant and ballroom with 3 watt
and 7 watt LEDs
•
Reduced energy consumption by 90%
•
LED cost= €25 ( Pay back = 7 months)
Source: Inishowen Development Partnership Green Food Business
Training 2013
Savings
TOTAL Energy Cost saving €12,000 /
annum
+
Reduced maintenance costs on light
replacement
Understanding Your Utility & Waste
Disposal Costs (Ireland)
Water
• Fixed by Local Authority – charge includes litres of
water in and litres of waste water out
• If not monthly read your meter
• Early leak detection is vital – Take a meter reading late
at night and early next morning, there should be
minimal water use during the night, large readings will
indicate a leak.
Fat Oil Grease (FOG) – comply with regulations to
minimise costs
Example - Reducing Costs Water
1 drip per second costs from € 28 to
€ 224 per annum
Cost of replacement washer is €1
Pot Wash Hot tap on for 5 min/hr could cost up
to €15,000 per annum
Staff training can cut this by up to 50%
Toilet
Typical leak can waste 750l/day = €690
per annum
Repair for less than € 10
Urinal Cistern – flushing 24/7 – cost c. € 2,000 p.a.
Timer could reduce by 50%
Tap
Case Study – Ballyliffin Lodge and Spa
Water Cost Control
Ballyliffin Lodge and Spa is a 4 star hotel in Co. Donegal,
Ireland. It has 45 guest rooms, meeting rooms and an
extensive leisure centre. The hotel designed and
implemented and environmental management programme
during 2012.
Water Conservation
With increasing energy and water costs, management
decided to reduce hot and cold water consumption by
installing low flow shower heads in the guest rooms and the
leisure centre. Shower flow rates were reduced from 22 litres
per minute to 7 litres per minute with low flow shower heads.
Case Study - Ballyliffin Lodge and Spa
Water Cost Control
Results
Customer satisfaction was not affected by the reduced flow
rates, as the shower heads aerate the water and give the
same sensation as high pressure.
The reduced flow rates have saved the hotel €4,500 per
annum on reduced water costs and approximately €3500 on
reduced heating costs.
The cost of installing the low flow shower heads in the 45
guest rooms and leisure centre was €7,000, giving a payback
period of 10.5 months.
Develop an Environmental Policy
Statement
Although it may sound complex, an environmental
management system exists if you manage waste, conserve
energy, conserve water, and purchase locally as much as
possible.
The environmental policy statement is your opportunity to tell
your customers your responsible environment ethos.
There is no set of rules in writing an environmental policy
statement, it is your opportunity to differentiate with your
competitors.
Case Study:- The Environmental Policy
Statement of The No Salt Chef
The No Salt Chef, Brian McDermott is based on the Inishowen Peninsuala,
Donegal, Ireland a destination rich in biodiversity, culture, heritage and
attractions. The following is the environmental policy statement of The No
Salt Chef:
We have a commitment to environmental best practice and ensure that day
to day activities do not have a negative impact on the environment. As part of
overall management we strive to continuously improve environmental
performance. Specifically we are:• Conserving energy
• Conserving water
• Reducing waste by re-using and recycling
• Educating and motivating suppliers to work in an environmentally
responsible manner and to participate in developing new ideas and
initiatives.
Environmental Policy Statement of The No Salt
Chef (cont)
As part of our ongoing environmental management we have:• Reduced water pressure in all taps to conserve this valuable resource
• Started to replace all lights with low energy alternatives, we are
currently replacing the majority of our lights with LEDs
• Developed a waste management policy to ensure all waste is
segregated into recyclable and non recyclable, to reduce waste going
to landfill
• Developed a purchasing policy to ensure all supplies are sourced
locally to support the local economy and to minimise waste packaging
• Developed a number of community gardens in conjunction with
communities throughout Inishowen to demonstrate the value of fresh
seasonal produce
• All food is sourced locally, with the emphasis on fresh seasonal food
• Organic food can be supplied on request
Environmental Policy Statement of The No Salt Chef
(cont)
As our customers we would appreciate if you could assist in our
environmental performance by:
• Separating waste into bins provided
• Avoid opening windows if heating is turned on
• Asking for information on places of interest in the Inishowen Peninsula
• Providing feedback on any environmental improvements
We appreciate your cooperation in helping us achieve environmental
best practice.
Source: http://www.101greenbusinessideas.ie
Case Study: Origin Green, Ireland
http://www.origingreen.ie/
Origin Green is the only sustainability programme in the world
that operates on a national scale, uniting government, the private
sector and food producers through Bord Bia, the Irish Food
Board.
Independently verified, it enables Ireland’s farmers and producers
to set and achieve measurable sustainability targets – reducing
environmental impact, serving local communities more effectively
and protecting the extraordinarily rich natural resources that
Ireland enjoys.
At the heart of the Origin Green programme is the Origin Green
charter, a guideline document to the workings of the programme.
http://www.origingreen.ie/hub/#saoirse-ronan-related .
Case Study: Origin Green, Oliver Carty
Oliver Carty is one of Ireland’s largest pork and bacon suppliers. They
process a wide and varied range of premium products including bespoke
specialty cures and various value added products.
Before involvement in Origin Green, they completed a Lean Review” that
resulted in significant reductions in raw material waste. The outcome of that
review was:
A switch to reusable packaging from raw material suppliers
Reusable plastic crates for customers
Use of pooled pallets
Use of recyclable cardboard dolav containers for imported products
They been a member of Repak for over ten years ensuring they are
contributing to the ongoing achievement of Ireland’s EU packaging waste
recovery and recycling targets
Their Origin Green full case study is available to download in this Module.
Case Study: Origin Green, Oliver Carty
Origin Green Sustainability Headlines
• Reduction of energy consumption through the
amalgamation of two production plants
• Reduction of water usage in both plants
• Sourcing in excess of 80% of all raw materials from
Origin Green Approved Suppliers
.
Case Study: Origin Green, Glenilen Farm
Championing the local on the world stage
• Annual turnover of €4 million, the company now employs 33
people. Glenilen manufactures a premium range of yoghurts,
butter, cream and desserts.
• At Glenilen, the raw material of the business is milk, 30% of the
milk is produced by a herd of 55 cows that roam the farm while
the remainder is produced on neighbouring farms
Carbon Footprint
Sustainability achievements at Glenilen include using solar panels to heat water
and reducing the use of heating oil by 3,600 litres a year. The company also
uses heat-recovery systems and harvests rainwater. In addition, new cleaning
processes mean that less water and chemicals are used.
Case Study: Origin Green, Glenilen Farm
Waste
All waste glass, cardboard and plastic is recycled, and all Glenilen
packaging is made from 50% recycled plastic and 40% recycled
glass.
Sustainability
Glenilen’s sustainability plan focuses on the areas of energy and
water usage, alternative energy supply, waste management and
emissions monitoring. Under its Origin Green plan, Glenilen’s
sustainability targets are to reduce by 2017:• Electricity usage by 10%
• Use of heating oil by 10%
• Consumption of vehicle fuel by 20%
• Water usage by 10%
Their Origin Green full case study is available to download in this Module.
Top Tips for a ‘leaner greener’ food business
• Monitor consumption of energy, water and volumes of waste
produced
• You cannot manage if you do not measure
• Food businesses will know what the weekly spend is on food,
other raw materials, drink, wages ………..
• How many food businesses will know the weekly spend on
energy, water and waste?
• You should know the monthly spend on energy, water and
waste, ideally weekly spend
• Write environmental policy communicating your environmental
improvements and plans to customers
• Remember simple attainable plan – continuous environmental
improvement
Top Tips for a ‘leaner greener’ food service
Have a Plan
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Don’t leave things to chance
If it’s not written down it will not happen
Keep things simple – make sure it is attainable
Resource the plan – time is the key resource
Focus on low / no cost
Water
Check for leaks, record use during night time when use should
be at a minimum, high readings will indicate a leak
Avoid leaving taps running
Check water pressure and reduce to 6-8 litres per minute
The largest cost for water is the energy required for hot water
Top Tips for a ‘leaner greener’ food service
Have a Plan
Waste
•
•
•
•
•
•
Segregate all waste
Have easy to access colour coded bins
Remember recyclable material costs 25% less to dispose of
No waste = €0
Train staff to segregate waste, especially during busy periods
Clear disposal bags – Easier to monitor if segregation is
working
• Reduce and prevent waste at source – before it reaches your
business
• Monitor food waste from tables, this is the food waste that can
be prevented
Top Tips for a ‘leaner greener’ food service
Have a Plan
•
•
•
•
•
Energy
Identify main energy using equipment
Monitor use of main energy using equipment
Staff training to include efficient use of energy using equipment
Replace halogen lights with LEDs (90% more efficient)
To understand energy costs calculate fuel cost per kwh, you
can then compare costs of gas, electricity and oil per kwh
Useful Resources
Good practices in food waste prevention & reduction
A wide range of initiatives to prevent and reduce food
waste are underway at national, regional and local level in
the EU. This webpage aims to facilitate the exchange of
good practices by compiling as many of these initiatives
together in one place as possible. Have a look and be
inspired!
Research and innovation
Awareness, information and education
Policy, awards, self-imposed certification
Food redistribution
Useful Resources
We have provided 4 spreadsheets (Excel
docs) that will assist your to track and
manage waste.
Please download …
•
Calculate the total cost of waste
•Compare water costs
•Record energy use of equipment
•How much is lighting costing your business?
Useful Resources
Ireland
Bord Bia – Origin Green http://www.origingreen.ie/
Failte Ireland – Green Marketing Toolkit www.failteireland.com
Enterprise Ireland – Lean Start www.enterprise-ireland.com
Green Business Ireland www.greenbusiness.ie
Green Tourism www.green-tourism.com