Corporate dining has changed dramatically—hybrid work, sustainability expectations, and diverse dietary needs create new challenges for waste management.
The Hybrid Work Challenge
Traditional canteen planning assumed consistent daily headcount. Now:
- Monday/Friday occupancy might be 40% of Tuesday/Wednesday
- Team days create unpredictable spikes
- Individual schedules vary week to week
This variability makes forecasting much harder and waste more likely.
Strategies for Variable Demand
Real-time data integration:
- Building occupancy from access systems
- Meeting room bookings
- Employee app check-ins
- Historical pattern analysis
Flexible production:
- Made-to-order options
- Scalable batch sizes
- Dynamic menu adjustments
- Late-morning ordering for lunch
Safety stock approach:
- Plan for base attendance
- Quick-prep items for spikes
- Accept occasional shortages over chronic overproduction
Meeting and Event Catering
Catering for meetings often generates proportionally more waste:
- Organisers over-order "to be safe"
- Attendance doesn't match booking
- Standard packages rather than right-sized orders
Solutions:
- Accurate attendee tracking
- Flexible ordering closer to event
- Modular ordering (add more if needed)
- Feedback to organisers on waste
Sustainability Expectations
Corporate employees increasingly care about sustainability:
- They notice waste in the canteen
- They want employers to act responsibly
- Visible waste undermines corporate values messaging
This creates pressure for action, but also an audience receptive to waste reduction initiatives.
Tracking and Reporting
Corporate canteens should track:
- Daily waste by category
- Waste vs. headcount correlation
- Waste vs. menu items
- Meeting catering waste separately
Report to facilities management and sustainability teams—food waste fits corporate ESG narratives.
Explore corporate catering solutions for workplace dining.