Bon Appétit Management Company Releases Food Waste Campaign Results

Annual waste reduction campaign measures current waste in company cafés and designs strategies for further food waste reduction

Palo Alto, Calif., (June 04, 2010) – Bon Appétit Management Company, the nation’s leader in sustainable dining services, effectively reduced food waste by 30 percent in two years and diverted 456 tons of kitchen waste and 235 tons of consumer waste from landfills to composting facilities or pig feed operations during its recent 12-week long Food Waste Reduction campaign.

The annual campaign measures the amount of food waste generated in Bon Appétit cafés and identifies ways to reduce waste by teaching Bon Appétit chefs and their staff proper prepping and cooking techniques.  For example, chefs might utilize an entire chicken by using the thigh meat for chicken tacos, the breast meat for a hearty main dish and the remaining bones for a homemade chicken stock. Additionally, during the campaign, café guests were educated on the effects of food waste on the environment and the reality of this pressing issue.

Bon Appétit’s Waste Reduction campaign is part of the company’s ongoing Low Carbon Diet program, an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with food service operations by 25% over five years. By working to reduce waste and diverting what is produced in its cafés, Bon Appétit can have a positive impact on global climate change. Wasted food normally ends up in landfills and produces harmful methane gas, which is a contributor to global warming.

Bon Appétit employs skilled chefs who cook from scratch which gives the company a significant advantage in reducing waste while offering diners fresh, delicious dishes made daily. For example, the chefs practice “batch cooking,” where small quantities are prepared according to how popular a menu item is and uncooked food can be stored for the next meal.

“We recognize that food waste is a big area of opportunity especially within the food service industry because it has significant environmental, economic and humanitarian consequences,” said Helene York, director of the Bon Appétit Management Company Foundation. “As a company we have to take responsibility for those aspects of the food system within our control by training our chefs on how to prepare meals in the most effective manner.  We’ve learned that implementing standards for food waste is a gradual process that will reap long-term benefits.”

By successfully reducing and diverting the waste produced in its operations, Bon Appétit plays a positive role in reducing climate change and minimizing a harmful greenhouse gas that could severely alter the way people live for years to come.

About Bon Appétit Management Company
Bon Appétit Management Company (www.bamco.com) is an onsite restaurant company offering full foodservice management to corporations, universities and specialty venues. Bon Appétit is committed to sourcing sustainable, local foods for all cafés throughout the country. A pioneer in environmentally-sound sourcing policies, Bon Appétit has developed programs addressing local purchasing, the overuse of antibiotics, sustainable seafood, cage-free eggs, and most recently, the connection between food and climate change. The company has received numerous awards for its work from organizations like the Natural Resources Defense Council, Seafood Choices Alliance, The Humane Society of the United States, and Food Alliance. Based in Palo Alto, CA, Bon Appétit has more than 400 cafés in 30 states, including eBay, the University of Pennsylvania and the Getty Center.