Latest news with #KhuloudHasanAlNuwais
Khaleej Times
20-02-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Ramadan in UAE: Up to 40% food untouched at restaurants; steps to reduce waste
Restaurants in the UAE see up to 40 percent increase in food wastage by customers, while over 80 percent of households in the UAE have reported food being wasted during the holy month of Ramadan. To combat this, UAE's national food loss and waste initiative Ne'ma is running campaigns throughout the month by spreading awareness and collaborating with partners. According to Khuloud Hasan Al Nuwais, Ne'ma Steering Committee Secretary-General, the aim is to promote some key behaviours like 'serving smaller portions at Iftar and Suhoor, properly storing leftovers to be consumed later, and donating surplus food through structured community programmes' to cut down on food wastage. She added that planning meals in advance and avoiding excessive grocery shopping can help curb unnecessary waste. These steps have been designed based on the findings of the agency's Ramadan study conducted last year with Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority and Department Of Culture And Tourism to analyse food waste patterns. Increasing food wastage One market research company revealed another shocking figure. 'In our past surveys we have seen over 80 percent of the households that are fasting agree that the amount of food wastage goes up during Ramadan,' said Himanshu Vashishtha, CEO of SixthFactor Consulting. Meanwhile, restaurant owners in the UAE shared how food wastage increases, especially during Ramadan, and how they worked to decrease it. 'Our observation is that many customers leave about 40 percent of their food untouched, especially during Ramadan,' said Shyjil Hussain, owner of Zam Zam Mandi group of restaurants. 'When people are hungry, they think they can eat a lot and order as much. But once the food arrives, they get full really quickly thereby wasting a lot of food.' He said the restaurant tried to redistribute food based on the guidelines set by authorities His comments were supported by Eti Bhasin, Executive Director of Majestic Hotels, The Permit Room, and Dhaba Lane, whose hotel changed their serving style to cut down on food waste. 'We used to have a buffet concept for iftars and we used see a minimum wastage of 30 to 35 percent, especially of mains,' she said. 'That is why, for the last two years, we stick to providing only set menus on the table and start preparations only once bookings are confirmed.' Vikas Malhotra, Restaurant Manager of Barbecue Delights said the restaurant tried to do more live stations in the hope that people would not hoard more food on their plates to combat food wastage that he estimated went up by 20 percent during Ramadan. Work done Khuloud said that their work with hotels, which involved small steps, brought in big results. 'One of our key initiatives involved simple adjustments such as modifying plate sizes, altering serving styles and adjusting portioning methods, which resulted in food waste reductions of up to 62 percent,' she said. In 2024 alone, Ne'ma successfully diverted 612,000 kg of food from landfills, preventing the release of 1.5 million kg of carbon emissions. This led to the creation of 49,000 kg of compost, which was returned to farmland covering more than 18,700 square metres. Over 367,450 kg of surplus food was rescued and redistributed, benefiting over 450,000 people across the country, with 23,000 meals provided through smart community fridges. The authority has also launched the country's first Food Waste Baseline Study, which will provide comprehensive data by 2026. Khuloud added that Ne'ma conduct behavioral studies to analyze trends, measure the impact of various interventions, and refine our approach. 'This data-driven strategy helps inform policymaking, supports business decisions, and allows us to track progress toward the national goal of reducing food waste by 50% by 2030,' she said.
Hi Dubai
11-02-2025
- Business
- Hi Dubai
ne'ma Partners with Taste of Dubai to Champion Food Waste Reduction
ne'ma, the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, is joining forces with Taste of Dubai to promote sustainability and reduce food waste at one of the city's premier culinary festivals. This collaboration builds on their successful partnership at Taste of Abu Dhabi 2024, where ne'ma helped divert 310 kilograms of food waste from landfills, prevented 775 kilograms of CO2e emissions, and generated 62 kilograms of compost. Taking place from February 14-16 at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre, Taste of Dubai is expected to welcome around 25,000 visitors. Throughout the event, ne'ma will work closely with chefs, restaurants, and vendors to implement effective waste management strategies and educate attendees on minimizing food waste in their daily lives. Khuloud Hasan Al Nuwais, Chief Sustainability Officer of Emirates Foundation and ne'ma Steering Committee Secretary-General, emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating, 'Following the success of our initiative with Taste of Abu Dhabi, we are proud to extend our impact at Taste of Dubai. By providing practical solutions and raising awareness, we aim to inspire long-term behavioral change and shift towards more responsible food consumption.' Maddy Spicer, Marketing Director of MENA Live Events, highlighted the significance of the partnership, saying, 'We are delighted to be working with ne'ma to contribute to global food waste reduction efforts. As we continue to host major festivals in the region, integrating meaningful initiatives ensures we deliver both entertainment and sustainability.' To facilitate efficient waste management, trained personnel will oversee waste segregation, with dedicated bins for restaurants and cooking stations. Vendors will receive guidance on waste reduction, and all collected food waste will be composted and repurposed for agricultural use, reinforcing a sustainable approach to large-scale events in the UAE. News Source: Emirates News Agency
Zawya
10-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Ne'ma, Taste of Dubai partner to expand food waste reduction efforts
Ne'ma, the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, and Taste of Dubai are collaborating to expand efforts in food waste reduction in the UAE's event scene. Building on the success of their first partnership on Taste of Abu Dhabi 2024, ne'ma helped divert 310 kilogrammes of food waste from landfills, prevented 775 kilogrammes of CO2e greenhouse gas emissions, and created 62 kilogrammes of compost. This collaboration will bring impactful sustainability initiatives to one of Dubai's most anticipated culinary festivals, and set a precedent for major events and festivals in the region. Taking place from 14th to 16th February at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre, Taste of Dubai is one of the UAE's foremost social festivals, welcoming an anticipated 25,000 visitors. Throughout the three-day event, ne'ma will work closely with participating chefs, restaurants, and vendors to manage food waste effectively and educate visitors on practical ways to minimise it in their daily lives. Khuloud Hasan Al Nuwais, Chief Sustainability Officer of Emirates Foundation and ne'ma Steering Committee Secretary-General, said, "Following the success of our initiative with Taste of Abu Dhabi, we are proud to extend our impact at Taste of Dubai, engaging with the community and setting a benchmark for sustainable event management. By providing practical solutions and raising awareness, we aim to inspire long-term behavioral change and shift towards more responsible food consumption." Maddy Spicer, Marketing Director of MENA Live Events (Organisers of Taste of Dubai), added, "We are delighted to be partnering with ne'ma to be part of a solution that is so important for the community and wider global efforts to reduce food waste. As MENA Live Events continues to deliver major festivals in the region, we are proud that we can use our platform to spread joy and entertainment, while also integrating meaningful initiatives on a large scale for thousands of people." To ensure effective food waste management at the event, trained personnel will be deployed to assist with waste segregation. The initiative will oversee a structured waste disposal process, including initiative-branded, customer-facing, and back-of-house bins for restaurants and cooking features, with efficient transportation and regular clearance to maintain waste management. Vendors will receive guidance on waste reduction, while all collected food waste will be composted and repurposed for agricultural use.
