Waste Not, Spend Not: Morrison’s Food Waste Technology Program Sets the Standard
In the United States, food waste is estimated at between 30–40 percent of the food supply (or, approximately 133 billion pounds and $161 billion worth of food.) This staggering figure translates into unnecessary expenses for hospital administrators.
Morrison’s Waste Not 2.0 tool leverages technology and analytics using a tablet to track and record food waste types, amounts, and destinations (e.g., donation, composting, and landfill). This data provides hospital leadership with valuable insights to create new strategies aimed at containing costs.
Waste Not 2.0 supports health systems in determining best practices related to food forecasting, purchasing, production, menu planning, and storage. These standards are designed to minimize food waste and cost while improving efficiencies—and ultimately, their bottom line.
“Waste Not 2.0 is the next-generation waste reduction tool,” says Heather Farkas, Wellness and Sustainability Corporate Support Manager for Morrison Healthcare. “By utilizing this technology, we can easily identify avoidable waste and take immediate action to reduce it.”
David Topping, Regional Executive Chef (Roper St. Francis Healthcare, Charleston, SC): “Since starting the program in September of 2020, we have reduced our red (avoidable) food waste by 45 percent. This has meant savings in our food costs; the less food we need to order, the better it is for our planet, and the client.”
Morrison Regional Executive Chef David Slabaugh Whiteside reports that best practices involve his entire team. “Waste Not 2.0 technology has helped us better understand trends and capture more waste. Whiteside was able to identify 2.7 tons of waste through March across a 1,300-bed facility.
Since Waste Not 2.0 was created, hospitals that have adopted the program have seen food waste reductions by as much as 50 percent. By pioneering sustainable food and nutrition services solutions, Morrison Healthcare is changing the game and delivering results.
