Unilever Food Solutions creates a new understanding for Professional Kitchens

Unilever Food Solutions which helps chefs all over the world serve tasty, wholesome meals is now taking industry leaders by focusing on the findings of The World Menu Report, a global authority report on the foodservice industry. Working closely with chefs and caterers in 74 countries, Unilever Food Solutions helps achieve the critical balance between impressing guests, making a profit, and addressing the important food issues that have been identified by consumers.

The World Menu Report takes a close look at consumer opinions of eating out and has identified a series of issues that currently exist within the foodservice sector.  One of the key findings of the 2011 report relates to Sustainable Kitchens: Reducing Food Waste.

According to sustainability expert Jonathan Porritt; while the present day focus on sustainable living is substantial, however, there’s been rather less focus on food waste. And it’s only in the last few years that food waste in the Western world has really begun to grab people’s attention. According to UNEP, over half the food produced in the world today is lost, wasted or discarded as a result of inefficiencies in the human-managed food chain.

  The report demonstrates, there’s a huge amount of food wasted in professional kitchens, both in the way food is ordered and prepared and in terms of what’s left on customers’ plates. The insights from the World Menu Report show that consumers believe this is an issue that needs to be addressed, by businesses themselves or the government. 

 “Unilever Food Solutions is stepping up to the plate with its “United Against Waste” global campaign. It is only leadership of this kind which can break these “circles of blame” – where’s there’s always someone else to pass off responsibility onto. With support of this kind (and encouragement from those of us who benefit so much from the produce of professional kitchens), there’s no reason why the food industry the world over shouldn’t take the lead in this global call to wise up on waste. We always care about putting healthy and nutritious food on the table, but we also care about our impact on the earth. Using ingredients and packaging that are sustainably sourced, generate less waste and consume less energy is all part of our environmentally responsible way of doing business,” said Mohammad Shanawani-Marketing manager at Unilever Food Solutions. 

Consumers wish to know the story behind their food – where it has come from and, ultimately, where it ends up. As we all become more aware of our impact on the world, taking steps towards minimising the food we are wasting is emerging as a key concern for people internationally, both in and out of the home, added Shanawani. 

Globally, consumers have made it clear they care about food waste when eating out of home. Nearly 80% of those surveyed (eight out of 10 people) in Western countries expressed concern about professional food waste and 87% of respondents in developing countries echoed this opinion. 

A further 66% of people in the West said that knowing the way in which food waste is disposed of is important to them, and 70% of those questioned in non-Western regions said that they would pay more to eat in places that are implementing environmentally-friendly food waste disposal methods. 

The overall findings from this Report demonstrate strongly that food waste in professional kitchens must be reduced to meet consumer needs and, essentially, enable businesses to keep their guests satisfied. Unilever Food Solutions intends to bring these concerns to the table and, by working together as an industry and with partners, find an effective, collaborative answer to the issue of professional food waste.