Module 4 : How to ‘Lean and Green’ Food Services

1. Module 4 : How to ‘Lean and Green’ Food Services

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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?

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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…..

9. 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

10. 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)

11. 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

12. Identifying Costs – Energy Typical costs in Ireland

13. 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 Up Toaster’ • Savings • €1,400 / annum • Source: www.greenbusiness.ie

14. 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

15. 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

16. How much does your lighting cost? Create a template to really track usage and cost SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS TO BE MADE BY REPLACING LIGHTS WITH LEDS

17. 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

18. 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

19. Example - Reducing Costs Water Tap 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%

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. 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.

23. 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.

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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 .

27. 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.

28. 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 .

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. 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

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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

36. 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?

37. 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