Denham (TAN): Global hospitality chain InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) will use artificial intelligence-enable technology to track, measure and reduce food waste in its hotels for improved restaurant and bar operations.
The move, which will also ensure more sustainability, will use the technological expertise of United Kingdom-based company Winnow. Winnow’s intelligent camera, smart scales and artificial intelligence-based smart meter technology will analyse not just ingredients during food preparation but also the plates that are returned to evaluate the type and quantity of food wastage. It will then create a database to impact buying decisions, menu design, and food preparation methods.
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Chief Executive Officer, Europe Middle East Africa and Asia (EMEAA), IHG, Kenneth Macpherson, said: “With more than 5,600 hotels right across the world, a commitment to operating responsibly is at the heart of all we do. We know there’s always more that can be done to make a greater difference – whether that’s minimising waste through the removal of plastic straws or introducing innovative technology to reduce our environmental impact.”
IHG is the first global hotel business to use Winnow’s technology that will help hotels cut down food waste by 30 per cent, the company said.
“Our partnership with Winnow will help our hotels be smarter and savvier in their approach to creating compelling menus that result in less waste whether it’s a grab-and-go breakfast, a family restaurant or a Michelin dining experience. I’m delighted that this is being led by some of our hotels in the Middle East, who are already seeing significant food waste reductions, and I’m looking forward to seeing this technology take off in more and more of our hotels around the world,” Macpherson added.
IHG has already installed Winnow’s technology in seven of its properties in the EMEAA region. Among them, InterContinental Fujairah Resort, United Arab Emirates, reported it has been able to bring down food waste by over 50 per cent in six months. While IHG plans to roll out the technology to 30 properties in the region in the coming months, 60 other hotels look forward to introducing the technology. The company could also launch the technology to other regions, including the Americas and Greater China.
“Food waste is a global issue, and one that kitchens around the world are struggling with. Without visibility into what is being wasted, kitchens are wasting far more food than they think,” said Marc Zornes, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Winnow.
He added: “It is a privilege to work with such a forward-thinking hospitality chain as IHG and help them become the first global hotel brand to significantly reduce food waste globally by using Artificial Intelligence while improving their responsible processes in their food and beverages offer.”
