How Data Analytics on Food Waste Can Help Optimize Your Operations

May 17, 2021

2 minutes, 43 seconds read

How Data Analytics on Food Waste Can Help Optimize Your Operations

Most kitchen managers don’t give a second thought to the organic waste going into the trash. However, understanding the quantity of food waste is a key component of sustainability that is underutilized in commercial kitchens. The amount of food waste can reveal details about the operations of a business, customer experiences, and key areas for improvement. Restaurants and commercial kitchens can stand to improve their operational efficiency, reduce costs, and meet sustainability goals by analyzing the amount of food waste. 

Optimize operations 

The amount and type of waste generated from a single dish paints a picture of the customer experience. By understanding where food waste is coming from, businesses can identify which areas to focus on. They learn what dishes generate the most waste, as a byproduct of preparation or what customers like the least, and can begin to make improvements to recipes or the menu accordingly. This helps businesses better gauge inventory levels, predict demand, and understand seasonal changes.

Reduce Costs

A deeper dive into the analytics of food waste helps businesses identify key areas to reduce costs. Businesses can determine rush hours, what types of dishes customers enjoy the most, and make decisions on which items and dishes to market. Businesses can also make informed decisions on logistical needs with data to back it up. Additionally, a system that can dispose of food waste while at the same time providing statistics will help a business save money from trash collection and minimize energy usage.

Comply with environmental laws 

By understanding where food waste comes from and pressure points in their businesses, managers can take the steps towards reducing the waste. This reduction in waste not only helps business owners comply with environmental bills such as SB 1383, but ultimately helps save the environment.

When food waste is discarded in a landfill, it degrades as an anaerobic process (in the absence of oxygen). As it decomposes, it produces methane gas which is 87 times worse for the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. This greenhouse gas is one of the most impactful and approximately 4% of all greenhouse gasses are due to this.

LFC Cloud 

The LFC biodigester is a machine that can take care of your food waste on site. Power Knot supplements this solution with the LFC Cloud which is a revolutionary continuous data analytics system. All LFC biodigesters come with lifetime access to the LFC Cloud. The LFC Cloud shows statistics on usage, diagnostics, and service schedules, and can be accessed from any device anywhere in the world. 

The LFC Cloud provides data on how much food waste is digested on an hourly basis. It also provides a breakdown on what type of waste is being digested through the use of NFC cards that can specify the type or source of the waste. This provides insight on the waste that is being generated and you can easily create reports for stakeholders.

The LFC Cloud shows the impact on the environment made by using the LFC biodigester instead of sending the food waste to a landfill. You can easily see the amount of CO2 equivalent diverted from the atmosphere from statistics shown on the LFC Cloud. 

Get more information about LFC biodigesters and a free demonstration of the LFC Cloud here.