Page 12 - Foodservice Magazine October 2018

12
YOUR BUSINESS IS FOOD
SIGN UP TO SAVE FOOD WASTE
A NEW PROGRAM TO HELP FOODSERVICE BUSINESSES REDUCE FOOD WASTE IS UP AND RUNNING AND AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE TO NSW RESTAURANTS, CAFES AND OTHER BUSINESSES. THE NSW ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AUTHORITY’S AMANDA KANE EXPLAINS MORE.
YOUR
BUSINESS
IS
Foodservice businesses across NSW are invited to sign up to the free Your
Business is Food Program to help identify your food waste and ways to reduce it.
The Restaurant and Catering Association and Lendlease at Barangaroo are among eight organisations that have just received $360,000 in grant funding to deliver the program across the state.
has significant implications for
all individuals, households and businesses,” Payne said. “As the industry association representing the interests of cafes, restaurants and catering businesses, we are fully committed to helping address the issue of food waste through driving educational programs across our sector. Our partnership with the EPA will enable us to deliver educational food waste reduction initiatives as part of the Your Business is Food program
to cafe owners, restaurateurs and caterers across the state.”
Businesses receive expert support through a three step program, from measuring waste, developing an action plan and celebrating success. A kit with resources such as takeaway container stickers, an action booklet, waste review forms and posters, is also provided.
Regional Development Australia Southern Inland (RDASI) are partnering with the Southern Region Business Enterprise Centre (SRBEC) to deliver the program across the seven Local Government Areas of the Southern Inland Region, starting in the Southern Highlands.
Businesses who attended a launch event last month
at the Bowral Golf Club welcomed the opportunity to do something about their food waste and save money.
RDASI project officer, Camilla Staff, acknowledged that food waste is more than just what is thrown in the bin. “It’s certainly a very topical issue at the moment. Apart from the environmental impacts, wasting food wastes money and the considerable energy, water and other resources used to produce it.
“Interestingly, in the hospitality space, 74 per cent
of food waste happens before the food is even sold or served. So, we want to help businesses firstly, identify where they are wasting food and then give them a couple of really simple and effective actions to reduce it.”
71 per cent of customers enjoy the dining experience more if a venue offers them a doggy bag. Sign up to Your Business is Food to find out more.
“74 per cent of food waste happens before the food is even sold or served. So, we want to help businesses firstly, identify where they are wasting food and then give them a couple of really simple and effective actions to reduce it.”
Find out more about the program and organisations delivering it in your area, visit lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au.
Developed as part of the NSW Environment Protection Authority’s Love Food Hate Waste program, Your Business is Food helps reduce food businesses food waste by an average of 21 per cent.
Restaurant and Catering Association CEO Juliana Payne said the program will have
a significant impact on the reduction of food waste across the NSW cafe, restaurant and catering sector.
“As we know, food waste is an enormously important issue which