Up to half of all food produced around the world is wasted.
850 million people are undernourished, with one in seven people worldwide going to bed hungry each night. To meet global food demand by 2050, agricultural production must increase by more than 50 percent. Yet, about a third of the global food production, 1.3 billion tons ( equal to the total amount produced in Sub-Saharan Africa) already goes to waste each year. Thus, surveys show that the world already produces enough calories to feed all 7 billion inhabitants of this planet, yet so many go hungry everywhere. If more of the calories produced could be put to good use instead of being wasted in huge numbers, the world can be a better place for those challenged today to provide for their families.
In late 2014, the US Based non-profit, Scholars of Sustenance (SOS), was created and funded for the sole purpose of operating a fundamental approach to recycling of wasted hospitality food in poor areas. Food ingredients are lost in many ways, from the expiration dates exceeded on purchased foods, to fully prepared food sitting out and not eaten, to left-overs on served plates, all going into the waste bins around the world. The founder of SOS has seen inordinate amounts of food being thrown out from hotel buffets, lounges, restaurants etc, thus SOS was created to show the way for such recycling and reduction of waste.
To make the biggest difference possible, we chose to start with large hotels in close proximity to undernourished people. Food waste in most hotels can be reduced, but it cannot be eliminated, neither provided to staff for obvious reasons - thus valuable food rots away in containers as it is thrown away. With our analysis homing in on South-East Asia exhibiting the greatest opportunities for maximizing the impact, several countries qualify for basic food recycling. Initially Thailand was chosen for its huge skyscraper hotels with many rich guests enjoying wonderful food and lounge facilities very close to poor areas.
Most hotels have no idea as to the huge food waste within their own properties, and certainly not the true associated costs. SOS encourages hotels to participate by offering sorting containers and training for free, while introducing simple software systems to help the hotels cut food waste first and then discard unavoidable waste in an organized fashion to the charity itself. In other words, by helping the hotels become more efficient and reduce waste, whatever food cannot be saved is fed into a well orchestrated funnel for transport by the charity.
Bearing in mind the old saying "don't just give people fish, but teach them how to fish instead", the primary goal of SOS is not only to feed poor people, but to use the generous food donations of large hotels to facilitate SOS-funded scholarships for poor students in school, where such opportunities are not common. In rural Thailand, many children drop out of school after 6th grade as they have to help their families with farming or other income producing activities. Many cannot obtain basic transportation to/from school, or even afford the mandated school uniform required by all schools. SOS therefore distributes the donated food to poor villages in parallel to the school system, encouraging children and their families to see value from staying in school and getting a basic education. By becoming "SOS Ambassadors", selected school children can assist with the local food distribution in the village and over time earn points towards scholarships at universities. Similarly, hotel/restaurant staff contributing personal efforts and time to the SOS food redistribution can earn such scholarships for their own children. The purpose of lifting such bright students out of poverty and provide a chance for a good education and a new life is aimed at the creation of solid citizens able to help the country overall in the future.
SOS food trucks upon arrival into the villages will also help with school uniforms and will bring donated hotel shampoo/soap where possible. The food will arrive in cooled reusable and traceable containers for minimum ecological impact, and a software system is implemented to track kids, containers recycling, food deliveries etc. Other linked charitable efforts will take place later, yet initially the cooling trucks will focus on the distribution of food that otherwise would be wasted and the scholarships facilitating local re-distribution.
Hotels and restaurants cannot allow excess food to be given to employees in order not to encourage further creation of excess. Some hotels already compile and sell it for virtually nothing as "pigs feed". By donating the excess food to SOS instead within the guidelines necessary for freshness and healthy re-packaging, SOS assists the hotels in earning a “green reputation” for sustainability and generosity. While hotels and restaurants will gain from giving back to society and participating in such a charity program, it is our belief significant cost savings in the disposal of food waste can also be achieved via minimal process changes within the hotel, and possibly in some countries CO2 tax benefits can be generated directly related to the reduction of hotel carbon footprints.
Several challenges exist in connection with the reuse of existing food, whether already cooked or still fresh/frozen. Within the categories of Preparation, Spoilage and Customer excess, the local Thai HACCP rules must be complied to. Simple process changes in the hotels will coordinate electronically with SOS pickup and redistribution rules, electronic and web-based coordination will simplify the exchanges, and overall the entities will work together to make this function smoothly. Re-cooking and packaging of the portioned foods will be performed by SOS, indeed also to bridge the visual and taste differences between Western food served to tourists in lounges and restaurants versus the traditional local foods eaten in the villages - - - however the donated ingredients remain the fundamental platform for SOS. SOS is well funded and has a narrow charter to operate within; yet long-term SOS expects to be a self-reliant organization in each country. The charity of local organizations and fund-raising campaigns will eventually take over from the initial SOS funding of day-to-day operations, and hotels/restaurants will get an opportunity to do more than donate food. Annual black tie events, recognition dinners, and award ceremonies will boost the image of all participants, and create a buzz around SOS and its member organizations focusing on sustainability, sustenance, charity and ultimately the successful education of SOS Ambassadors. Results will be measured and published, for the donating organizations to enjoy public exposure and gratitude.
Our initial pioneer hotels will retain a special status as the marketing campaign rolls out over the coming years. The pace with which this takes place is limited by governmental guidelines, redistribution staffing, school village coordination, cooling truck routes, and identifying the most appropriate villages where the most benefit can be provided for students and families. As SOS grows in each country, our pioneer hotels will receive extra benefits and honorable mentions in the press as well as in connection with awards and local ceremonies. We hope you will consider working with us as a pioneer hotel and allow us to put your excess foods to the best use possible: FEED HUNGRY FAMILIES AND CREATE A SENSE OF PRIDE FOR OUR LOCAL STUDENT AMBASSADORS EARNING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION!
