A practical guide for restaurants, cafés and takeaways
Running a food business is challenging.
Energy prices, food costs, and waste management all affect your margins.
A more efficient kitchen is often a more profitable kitchen.
Reduce kitchen energy use
Kitchens are one of the most energy-intensive environments.
You can reduce costs by:
· turning equipment off between service periods
· maintaining fridges and freezers
· cleaning condenser coils regularly
· using LED lighting
Hospitality sector advice:
https://businessclimatehub.uk/your-plan-for-the-hospitality-and-leisure-sector/
Industry guidance:
https://www.ukhospitality.org.uk/topic/sustainability/
Reduce food waste
Food waste is one of the largest hidden costs in hospitality businesses (and food waste in landfill also harms the environment through increasing methane emissions).
Ask yourself:
· Are ingredients expiring before use?
· Are portion sizes too large?
· Are surplus ingredients being reused effectively?
Food waste guidance:
https://www.wrap.ngo/take-action
Improve stock management
Better stock control can significantly reduce costs.
· order smaller quantities more frequently
· rotate stock properly
· track which dishes generate waste
Sustainability framework for restaurants:
https://uk.fourth.com/article/the-definitive-guide-to-restaurant-inventory-management
Focus on efficiency
Reducing energy use and food waste can strengthen your margins and improve business stability.
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