Pull Up a Chair. Let’s Talk Food Waste (And Why It Matters)

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Picture the end of a busy lunch service. The prep table’s been wiped, but the bins are full of peelings, stale bread, and plates that never quite got finished. It’s the part of the job nobody’s proud of — and it’s costing hospitality businesses far more than most realise.

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The Big Picture
In Europe, about 173 kilos of food per person goes to waste every year, and around 12% of that comes from hospitality — hotels, restaurants, cafés, venues. That’s roughly 7 million tonnes a year from our industry alone.

Every kilo wasted has already consumed land, water, energy, transport and labour. It’s not just a bin full of scraps; it’s a bin full of resources and lost revenue. The EU puts the total value of food waste across Europe at €132 billion annually.

The Law is Changing
By 2030, the EU will require food services to cut food waste per person by 30%. Businesses will need to:

• Measure and report their food waste volumes

• Redistribute safe, edible surplus

• Keep inedible organic waste separate from general rubbish for composting or animal feed

This isn’t a distant target — it’s coming fast. The good news is, with the right systems in place, compliance can actually improve efficiency, reduce costs, and boost your brand’s sustainability credentials.

So, What Can You Actually Do Tomorrow?
Here’s where legal requirements and Sobra®’s offering meet in the middle:

1. Separate your organic waste now
   Compostable material — from vegetable peelings to coffee grounds — needs its own bin. We supply clearly marked bins, signage, and staff training to make separation second nature.

2. Track what’s being wasted and when
   Compliance means having accurate data. Sobra® installs tracking tools and helps you categorise waste into prep waste, plate returns, and spoilage, so you can see exactly where reductions are possible.

3. Redistribute edible surplus
   Food that’s still safe to eat shouldn’t end up in landfill. We connect you with local redistribution networks, food banks, or surplus apps to get that food to people who need it.

4. Compost the rest
   Anything inedible still has value. Sobra® collects your separated organic waste, processes it to EU standards, and delivers you certified compost that can be used in your own gardens — turning scraps into something that regenerates your local environment.

5. Prove your impact
   With Sobra® you don’t just comply with the law, you get verifiable reports for stakeholders, corporate clients and RFPs. That builds trust, strengthens your sales team’s pitch, and gives guests a credible sustainability story.

From Bin to Brand Asset
Every kilo you save, donate, or compost changes your bottom line, your environmental footprint, and your local impact. For most kitchens we work with, the first two weeks of tracking reveal the biggest opportunities — and from there, it’s just refining the system.

Food waste is a challenge, but it’s also an untapped resource. And with the EU’s targets approaching, the time to get ahead is now.