Delicious Data: serving data-driven solutions to food waste
Food waste is a persistent issue in large-scale food service operations, where overproduction often results in unnecessary waste. Delicious Data, a German-based startup, is addressing this challenge by harnessing the power of machine learning to optimise kitchen operations.
By predicting meal demand with precision, Delicious Data enables food service providers to cut waste, reduce costs, and lower their environmental footprint. With support from EIT Food, Delicious Data has spared hundreds of thousands of meals from going to waste, proving that data-driven innovation can transform our food system.
The food waste challenge
Globally, around 14% of the world's food is lost each year (1) between harvest and reaching the retail market. Meanwhile, an additional 17% of food is wasted (2) at the retail and consumer stages. Food loss and waste is a global challenge: it doesn’t only waste valuable resources like water and energy, but it’s responsible for 8 to 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions (3).
In large-scale food service operations, such as corporate cafeterias and dining halls, the problem of overproduction and food waste is especially severe. The need to prepare meals in bulk to accommodate the ever-changing demand often means that significant quantities of uneaten food are thrown away. Beyond environmental harm, this inefficiency also results in lost profits for food providers and a missed opportunity to promote sustainable practices.
In 2017, Jakob Breuninger and Valentin Belser – two Master's students in aerospace engineering – identified the problem while noticing inefficiencies in their university dining hall. They soon realised that food waste was a common issue across the food service sector, driven by inadequate demand forecasting and overproduction. Finding a solution that could benefit food providers, customers and the environment alike became their mission: that same year they founded Delicious Data, an innovative startup dedicated to tackling food waste through digital solutions.
A data-driven solution
Delicious Data developed a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model that uses machine learning algorithms to analyse historical sales data and external variables like weather and holidays. The platform provides predictive insights, helping kitchens adjust production levels to make the right amount of food. Meal providers can download a cloud-based interface and do their planning in the centralised system. By simply clicking a button they can see a recommendation for the right number of food plans for their expenses. This cuts down on waste, saves money, and makes operations smoother.
Early on, Delicious Data was invited to participate in the EIT Food Accelerator Network (FAN) programme, which helped them refine their startup strategy. The workshops they attended, and the networking opportunities provided by the FAN programme, helped the team improve their business model, while the funding allowed them to scale operations. Since then, Delicious Data has also adapted its solution to new markets, such as bakeries and gas station cafés, further amplifying its impact.
The results have been remarkable: since its founding, Delicious Data has helped save 820,000 meals, equivalent to preventing 1,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions and conserving 15 million hectolitres of water. Their user-centred approach, which includes constant feedback from kitchen staff and managers, has ensured the platform’s effectiveness and adaptability.
"We are proud and pleased about the investors' trust in our solution. This confirms that we are on the right track. We now want to continue this trend by growing in the DACH region and beyond."
A game-changer for the food industry
Indeed, scaling is the next step for Delicious Data, with a focus on international expansion and reaching new market segments. By refining its algorithms and tailoring its services to diverse food operations, the company aims to maximise its impact on waste reduction globally.
To achieve this, Delicious Data has secured support from new investors, including VC funds Basinghall and seed+speed, business angels Jared Schrieber and Guzel Gumerova, along with a private investor from the BayStartup network. The total investment of around 2.5 million euros will be dedicated to accelerating technological development and expanding into new markets.
"Delicious Data is the perfect example of how digitalisation makes the world more sustainable and better. Artificial intelligence provides forecasts for the use of food. Customers such as bakeries and restaurants can reduce avoidable food losses and optimise staff deployment. Along the way, CO2 emissions and costs are reduced. What more could you want? A fantastic solution and a real benefit for the food sector."
Looking ahead, Delicious Data’s work has the potential to influence policy changes that encourage sustainable practices in food services. Their success highlights how innovation can tackle systemic issues like food waste while delivering economic and environmental benefits. For businesses, investors, and policymakers, supporting such initiatives can accelerate progress towards a more sustainable food system.
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