Latest news with #GreenRamadan
Hospitality Net
3 days ago
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Hilton Scales Up Green Ramadan Initiative in 2025, Achieves 26% Reduction in Plate Waste during the Holy Month
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Hilton announced the results of its Green Ramadan 2025 initiative, revealing a 26% reduction in post-consumer plate waste during the holy month. The month-long effort helped avoid more than 2.6 tonnes of food waste, the equivalent of more than 6,000 meals – reinforcing Hilton's commitment to reducing food waste across its hotels through consistent, measurable impact. Building on the momentum of previous years, the programme marked the initiative's biggest rollout yet, scaled across 45 hotels in 14 countries in EMEA and APAC, and served more than 340,000 guests during iftar and suhoor – traditional meals during Ramadan. Participating hotels in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Malaysia, the Seychelles, Nigeria and beyond undertook extensive training and aimed to close the loop across the food value chain by focusing on local sourcing, sustainable gastronomy, diversion by donation, composting where possible and forensic waste management – closely monitoring items observed to be most frequently wasted on guest plates, which included bread and pastry, vegetables, meat and grains. By adopting interventions such as guest messaging, smaller portions, live cooking stations, efficient food displays and switching to set menus, the campaign broke through food waste awareness barriers with an educational and interactive approach. Prior to the launch of this year's initiative, hotel teams were given instructive upskilling sessions and a food waste prevention playbook based on the key learnings gained from Green Ramadan 2024. These insights contributed to the success of the 2025 campaign, with plate waste dropping from 102g to 64g per cover over the course of the month. Additionally, over 11 tonnes of CO2 emissions were prevented, equating to more than 720,000 smartphone charges. The campaign was developed and delivered once again in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) West Asia under the impactful Recipe of Change campaign, and Winnow – an AI-enabled food waste management solution. In 2025, the programme saw even greater integration across hotel teams, with Green Ramadan becoming a platform for locally led action, data-driven decision-making, and consistent team engagement throughout the month. From front of house to kitchen operations, team members across departments worked together to create more sustainable dining experiences and reduce avoidable waste. Green Ramadan 2025 was implemented by 45 Hilton hotels across 14 countries in EMEA & APAC, following a competitive application process and toolkit-based rollout. A total of 342,559 meals were served across iftar and suhoor during the Holy Month. Plate waste dropped by 26%, from 102g to 64g per cover, between Week 1 and Week 4. Total food waste was reduced by 35%, with data tracked using Winnow's AI technology and LightStay's daily reporting. 6,376 meals were saved from being wasted, based on Winnow's 400g per meal estimate. 2.6 tonnes of food waste and 10.9 tonnes of CO2e were avoided (based on a 4.3x multiplier for emissions savings). Hilton continues to partner with UNEP West Asia under the Recipe of Change campaign and Winnow to drive sustainable gastronomy and food value chain transformation across its global portfolio. About Winnow Winnow builds artificial intelligence tools to help chefs run more profitable and sustainable kitchens by cutting food waste in half. Launched in a single staff restaurant in 2013, Winnow has now been adopted by more than 3,000 sites globally. Winnow is a registered B Corporation operating in 94 countries with offices in Chicago, London, Dubai, Singapore, and Cluj-Napoca. Collectively, Winnow users are saving $85m annually, the equivalent of 50m meals a year from being wasted. For more information, visit About Hilton Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 24 world-class brands comprising more than 7,600 properties and nearly 1.2 million rooms, in 126 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed over 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, was named the No. 1 World's Best Workplace by Great Place to Work and Fortune and has been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for seven consecutive years. Hilton has introduced industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the nearly 190 million Hilton Honors members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can't buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
The Sun
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Hilton KL slashes food waste by nearly half
PETALING JAYA: Hilton Kuala Lumpur's Green Ramadan initiative has proven its success by reducing food waste nearly 50%, marking a major step in the hotel's sustainability efforts during the recent festive season. General manager Linda Pecoraro (pic) said through a combination of strategic planning, innovative waste reduction techniques and community partnerships, the hotel has been able to curb excess food while still delivering a high-quality dining experience for guests. She highlighted that the hotel's Ramadan buffet, known for its extensive spread, has undergone a transformation with a focus on sustainability. 'By analysing guest dining patterns and adjusting portion sizes accordingly, the hotel has minimised surplus food. 'We noticed that certain dishes tend to be overproduced, leading to unnecessary waste. By closely monitoring consumption trends, we have managed to fine-tune our preparations and cut food waste by nearly half in the first year (2024). We aim to further reduce food waste in 2025 to ensure less unnecessary waste,' she told SunBiz. She said the hotel has partnered with local charities to donate surplus food, ensuring that unserved excess reaches those in need instead of being discarded, adding that this initiative aligns with Hilton's global environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitment to cutting food waste in half by 2030. She remarked that composting has played a key role in the hotel's strategy, with food scraps being repurposed into organic fertiliser. 'This practice not only reduces landfill but also supports urban farming efforts in the city,' Pecoraro added. She said, leveraging Winnow's AI-powered food waste tracking system, the hotel was able to obtain real-time insights into food waste, allowing kitchen teams to make precise adjustments to good preparation and production. She remarked that a major contributor to the success of the programme has been the emphasis on guest education. 'Diners are encouraged to take only what they can finish, with subtle reminders placed throughout the buffet area. 'We have also incorporated more plant-based options into our Ramadan menu, which require fewer resources to produce compared to meat-based dishes. 'This shift is in line with growing consumer demand for sustainable dining choices. 'The hotel's culinary team has worked to creatively utilise ingredients that might otherwise go to waste. For instance, vegetable peels and bones are turned into broths, while overripe fruits are repurposed into desserts and beverages,' she remarked. Pecoraro said the hotel's Green Ramadan initiative reflects a broader shift in the hospitality industry, where sustainability is becoming a core focus. 'Other hotels in Malaysia are expected to follow suit as eco-conscious practices gain traction,' she added. With the success of this programme, she said the hotel is exploring ways to make its food waste reduction efforts a permanent feature beyond Ramadan. 'Plans are in place to integrate similar strategies across other dining operations throughout the year,' she explained. As the hospitality sector continues to embrace greener practices, Pecoraro stated that the hotel's initiative sets a benchmark for sustainable dining, proving that luxury and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.
Khaleej Times
02-03-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE: How food companies are using AI, collecting extra meals to reduce wastage this Ramadan
From using artificial intelligence to reduce food waste to launching a van to collect surplus meals, many brands in the hospitality industry are going the extra mile to ensure that this Ramadan is a sustainable one. Some restaurants have even swapped the way they serve food to ensure minimal wastage. Local food delivery company Deliveroo has launched a van in collaboration with the UAE Food Bank that will collect surplus food from its partners and redistribute it to communities in need. The company, which has over 13,000 partners in the UAE, has seen an overwhelming response since announcing the campaign. 'Our partners very interested because they're always actively looking for ways to repurpose or distribute leftover food and to prevent food waste,' said Taghrid Oraibi, Head of Communications at Deliveroo Middle East. This year, the UAE Food Bank has formed several partnerships to reduce food waste in the country. In 2024, its efforts helped divert 5,466 tonnes of food from landfills and the bank aims to reduce food waste by 30 percent by 2027. Taghrid added that restaurants in the country had clear guidelines from the Food Bank on how to package surplus food and ensure they were safe for consumption. 'This is a first collaboration of this kind with Food Bank,' she said. 'I hope it's a start and that more private companies will do similar initiatives and provide vans to collect surplus food.' Using artificial intelligence Conrad Dubai is using AI-driven tracking to reduce food waste by half during the month as part of their Green Ramadan initiative. The hotel, part of the Hilton group, is also locally sourcing their ingredients from within a 50-mile radius and is participating in composting initiatives, apart from maintaining a hydroponic farm that provides fresh, locally grown ingredients. In addition to these steps, it is also donating excess food to the UAE Food Bank, ensuring that surplus meals reach those in need. Done in partnership with United Nations Environment Program West Asia and Winnow's AI technology, this campaign is returning for the third year and has succeeded in preventing thousands of meals from being discarded in the last two years. One of the longest-running iftar tents in the UAE, the Majlis at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) will be renewing its partnership with the Tarahum Charity Foundation and UAE Food Bank by donating meals to those in need. Punjab Grill restaurant in Dubai has opted to serve curated set menus instead of buffets to minimise food waste during the month of Ramadan. 'We offer slight customisations in portion sizes when requested, especially for dishes that might be too much for some diners,' said a spokesperson. 'We focus on minimal pre-prepared waste, ensuring that our kitchen operates with efficiency. We also are happy to pack the leftover food for the customers to take away and reheat for Suhoor.'
