How APAC’s foodservice sector drives towards sustainability

They turn to local sourcing and minimising food waste, amongst others.

The Asia Pacific’s foodservice sector is leveraging on local sourcing, waste reduction, and introducing more plant-based options to meet the demands of industry leaders and their stakeholders for sustainable operations, according to GlobalData.

Srimoyee Nath, Lead Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, said restaurants, hotels, and food establishments are burning from local farmers and producers not only to get dress and sustainable ingredients but also to reduce their carbon footprint.

Nath said that buying from local sources minimises the transportation distance of goods which reduces greenhouse gas emissions. 

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An example of this is the Singapore Food Agency-led Farm-to-Table Recognition Programme, which recognised 11 restaurants, hotels and caterers for buying from local farms to buy part of their food ingredients.

In terms of avoiding food waste, the sector is employing portion control, menu optimisation and creative cooking techniques to minimise surplus food, said Deepak Nautiyal, Director of Consulting, APAC, GlobalData, adding that technology can also be used to manage food surplus.

Nath also added that the industry is seeing a surge in demand for plant-based and vegetarian options as health-conscious consumers are growing.

Around 49% of APAC consumers are also motivated to consume plant-based food alternatives as these are considered to be environmentally friendly or more sustainable, Nautiyal said, citing a Global Data 2023 Q1 consumer survey.