Orbisk: reducing food waste by 50% in the food service sector
Food waste is a pressing global issue with significant implications for the environment, economy, and society. With food waste contributing to 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and wasting nearly 30% of the world’s agricultural land, the need for effective solutions has never been greater.
The need for change
In 2022, 1.05 billion tonnes of food was wasted worldwide (1), equating to 132 kilograms per person. Approximately 60% of this waste came from households, 28% from food service (catering, hotels and restaurants) and 12% from retail. Therefore, the food service sector accounted for 294 million tonnes of food waste in 2022. This waste isn’t just a loss of resources; it also represents a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 8-10% globally. The land, water, and energy used to produce this wasted food could have been directed toward feeding the 783 million people worldwide who suffer from hunger, including 150 million children under the age of five who experience stunted growth due to nutrient deprivation.
Economically, food waste represents a staggering loss of €920,000 million annually (2), further exacerbating global inequalities and inefficiencies in our food systems. In addition to the direct economic costs, indirect environmental costs from land and resource use reach around €642 billion annually, and social costs from health and employment around €825 billion. Together, these are often identified as the ‘eco-costs’.
Orbisk, a pioneering organisation based in the Netherlands, is addressing this challenge head-on with innovative digital tools that have already significantly reduced food waste in many professional kitchens. This initiative not only helps businesses save costs but diverts waste from landfill, contributing to a net zero and more sustainable food system.
International policy is strongly in favour of reducing food waste and the associated economic, social and environmental burdens. The European Green Deal strategy for example, sets out targets for reducing CO2 equivalent emissions by 55% by 2030. Reducing food waste and loss in the food service sector will contribute to this as part of the Farm to Fork strategy.
The need for innovative solutions is critical. We must move beyond awareness and focus on tangible actions that can significantly reduce food waste. This is where Orbisk’s innovation steps in, offering a promising solution that addresses these challenges directly.
Orbisk's innovation: smarter kitchens
The core of Orbisk’s solution is a smart camera system installed above waste bins, which, when paired with a scale, automatically recognises what kind of food is thrown away, in what quantity, at what time of the day and in what part of the process of a kitchen. This real-time monitoring provides kitchens with crucial insights into waste patterns, allowing them to make informed decisions and reduce their waste by up to 70%. The economic benefits are substantial as well, with annual savings of €55,000 per company and profit margin increases of 2–8%.
"What we focus on is to seamlessly register all food going to waste and trace why, so that you can optimise your buying and producing, wasting significantly less. And by that, improving your sustainability and your profitability at the same time."
Orbisk’s journey to success was bolstered by its participation in the EIT Food’s Entrepreneurship programme, RisingFoodStars, in 2020 and 2022 and subsequently through a collaborative, innovation grant and speaking at EIT Food events such as the ‘Future of food’ conference.
Hear more from Orbisk's CEO about the impact of food waste technology on the Food Fight podcast.
Outcomes and impact
Since its inception in 2018, Orbisk has made remarkable strides in reducing food waste. Up until 2023 alone, Orbisk is currently selling monitoring systems in 41 countries and has already prevented 737,520 kg of food waste from ending up in landfills. This reduction is equivalent to saving 5,300 metric tonnes of CO₂ emissions, 5,162 million litres of water, and €5.2 million in food value. The broader co-benefits of these greenhouse gas reductions extend beyond environmental impact, resulting in an indirect eco-cost saving of €2.56 million.
"The support we received from EIT Food has given us improved visibility, reputation and public relations while the financial (loan & investment) support we received helped us reach our commercial potential in a shorter timeframe. We could attribute 6% of our current impact created to the support that EIT Food has provided, which is equivalent to saving 318 metric tonnes of CO₂ plus €153,600 in associated eco-costs to healthcare burden and resource depletion."
The future for Orbisk looks even brighter. With continued innovation and support, there is potential for even more significant impact.
They have ambitious plans to expand their business through: a Close A funding round; global expansion utilising new office locations in North America and the Middle East/ Asia; improving their products and services; and developing routes to more markets such as on cruise ships, in the health care industry and via passenger airlines.
Orbisk has already prevented foodwaste equivalent to
Driving change into the future
Orbisk’s innovation is a clear example of how technology can make a tangible difference in addressing the critical issue of food waste. By cutting waste by up to 50%, Orbisk not only helps businesses become more efficient but also contributes to a more sustainable food system, benefiting the environment and society.
How can other innovations follow in Orbisk’s footsteps to drive even greater impact? Expanding solutions like Orbisk’s across different sectors and regions is key to driving meaningful, global change. Achieving this will require continued investment in innovation, supportive policies, and collaboration across industries.
Orbisk shows that practical, impactful solutions are within reach. The challenge now is to scale these efforts and ensure that we’re not just reacting to the problem of food waste, but preventing it—creating a more efficient, sustainable food system for future generations.
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References
- UN Environment Programme: Food Waste Index Report 2024 | UNEP - UN Environment Programme
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Food Wastage Footprint: Fool cost-accounting
- European Commission: The European Green Deal - European Commission
- European Commission: Farm to Fork Strategy - European Commission
