Sustainability-Oriented Innovations in Food Waste Management Technology

Carlos Martin-Rios, Anastasia Hofmann and Naomi Mackenzie
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Carlos Martin-Rios: Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, HES-SO, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland
Anastasia Hofmann: Kitro SA, 8047 Zurich, Switzerland
Naomi Mackenzie: Kitro SA, 8047 Zurich, Switzerland

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Food is essential to our survival, yet the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that about 820 million people were undernourished in 2018. In this context, food waste generation is a particularly salient issue. Wasting food means missing opportunities to feed the growing world population and consuming scarce resources, such as land, water and energy used in the production, processing, distribution and consumption of food. Firms in HORECA (hospitality, restaurant and catering) represent a considerable share of total food waste and, more importantly, are characterized by an overall low sense of awareness about the sustainability-oriented innovation opportunities and challenges of minimizing food waste. This article draws on an in-depth case study to explore the use of technological advancements in downstream value chain. This case study draws on a tech startup providing services for HORECA companies to address a new way for companies to solve the food waste challenge. Adopting technological innovations to quantify and minimize wastage via collaborations with third-party companies can be a strategic and cost-effective way to supplement a company’s open innovation activities.

Keywords: food waste; sustainability-oriented innovation; technology; management; food value chain; foodservice; restaurant; hospitality; quantification; minimization; case study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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