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Tackling the challenges of reducing and managing food waste in Mumbai restaurants

Tackling the challenges of reducing and managing food waste in Mumbai restaurants PurposeAround 67 million tons of food is wasted in India every year, which has a value of more than US$14 billion (Haq, 2016). The purpose of this paper is to concentrate on one major source to which the current massive proportion of wastage can be attributed: restaurants. It investigates the statistics, the problem at large, how the restaurants are handling it and recommends ways to better manage the issue.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative inquiry has been used. The research population for this study consisted of 63 restaurant owners across Mumbai city and its suburbs. In-depth discussions were held with these restaurant owners/managers in various matters of interest to this study.FindingsThe group of restaurateurs opined that the solution to Mumbai’s restaurants waste management lies in micro management rather than large scale plans. In total, 75 percent of the restaurants have 10-20 percent extra preparation. High-end fine-dining restaurants make even more additional preparations and are the ones more receptive to participating and also sensitive toward importance of waste management. Several of the restaurant owners claim that they can estimate the requirements on specific days of the week. In all, 18 percent of the restaurants surveyed claimed to have a complete dispose of policy. Majority of the restaurants have a clear policy to distribute the surplus food among their staff. Several other innovative strategies were shared.Research limitations/implicationsThe restaurant owners/mangers may not have truthfully answered all questions. The participants might have the fear that the authorities would take cognizance of some of the practices that they are following and would have been guarded in their responses. There would always be a fear that the identities would not be kept confidential.Practical implicationsIndia as a country has been agriculture based for centuries and characterized by massive food production. Yet, people face rampant starvation and malnourishment. This arises to a large extent due to the colossal amounts of food wasted at marriages, restaurants and even by destruction of crops.Originality/valueThe restaurant industry is of critical importance to the Indian economy and while research in India has focused on overall food wastage, studies on restaurant food waste are lacking. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png British Food Journal Emerald Publishing

Tackling the challenges of reducing and managing food waste in Mumbai restaurants

Bharucha, Jehangir
British Food Journal , Volume 120 (3): 11 – Mar 5, 2018
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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN
0007-070X
DOI
10.1108/BFJ-06-2017-0324
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

PurposeAround 67 million tons of food is wasted in India every year, which has a value of more than US$14 billion (Haq, 2016). The purpose of this paper is to concentrate on one major source to which the current massive proportion of wastage can be attributed: restaurants. It investigates the statistics, the problem at large, how the restaurants are handling it and recommends ways to better manage the issue.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative inquiry has been used. The research population for this study consisted of 63 restaurant owners across Mumbai city and its suburbs. In-depth discussions were held with these restaurant owners/managers in various matters of interest to this study.FindingsThe group of restaurateurs opined that the solution to Mumbai’s restaurants waste management lies in micro management rather than large scale plans. In total, 75 percent of the restaurants have 10-20 percent extra preparation. High-end fine-dining restaurants make even more additional preparations and are the ones more receptive to participating and also sensitive toward importance of waste management. Several of the restaurant owners claim that they can estimate the requirements on specific days of the week. In all, 18 percent of the restaurants surveyed claimed to have a complete dispose of policy. Majority of the restaurants have a clear policy to distribute the surplus food among their staff. Several other innovative strategies were shared.Research limitations/implicationsThe restaurant owners/mangers may not have truthfully answered all questions. The participants might have the fear that the authorities would take cognizance of some of the practices that they are following and would have been guarded in their responses. There would always be a fear that the identities would not be kept confidential.Practical implicationsIndia as a country has been agriculture based for centuries and characterized by massive food production. Yet, people face rampant starvation and malnourishment. This arises to a large extent due to the colossal amounts of food wasted at marriages, restaurants and even by destruction of crops.Originality/valueThe restaurant industry is of critical importance to the Indian economy and while research in India has focused on overall food wastage, studies on restaurant food waste are lacking.

Journal

British Food Journal – Emerald Publishing

Published: Mar 5, 2018

References

  • Self-reported limitations and future directions in scholarly reports: analysis and recommendations
  • The estimated amount, value, and calories of Postharvest Food Losses at the retail and consumer levels in the United States
  • Food waste in school catering: an Italian case study
  • Global food losses and food waste – extent, causes and prevention
    Food and Agriculture Organization
  • Report from the Save Food Partnership Event for the private sector and civil society
    Food and Agriculture Organization