FoodMaven, a technology startup committed to reducing food waste on an industrial scale, is partnering with Hilton Properties to expand Hilton’s efforts to source local food in Colorado and Texas. Hilton Properties is a global hospitality institution with 5,700 locations worldwide and has committed to cutting its environmental footprint in half by 2030 through its Travel with Purpose initiative.
Sourcing food from local suppliers has social and economic advantages for local communities. It also benefits the global environment, such as by reducing food miles—the distance food must travel to reach the consumer. Decreasing food miles reduces carbon and greenhouse gas emissions and alleviates a dependency on fossil fuels.
Terry Jenkins, Hilton’s Senior Manager-Corporate Responsibility—Americas, says,” As part of Hilton’s Travel with Purpose commitment to cut our environmental footprint in half by 2030 and double our social impact investment around the world, we are identifying solutions to reduce food waste and expand sustainable sourcing.”
Supplying commercial kitchens—like those found in hotels—with local food products can be challenging because of established institutional processes and a lack of local market access by local food suppliers. FoodMaven is helping Hilton Properties bridge the local food supplier gap by navigating and managing relationships with local suppliers, providing Hilton with an online marketplace that allows them to see product inventory, and integrating their technology into the hotel’s existing purchasing platform, which creates a seamless buying experience. FoodMaven also ensures their clients meet safety guidelines and insurance procedures to secure onsite delivery, which local suppliers cannot provide.
Hilton Properties is joining the ranks of global companies such as Google, Siemens, Starbucks, and Levi Strauss & Co. to reduce their environmental footprint as consumers become increasingly concerned about the impact large corporations are having on the planet. A recent study by Nielsen found sales of items with certain sustainability claims across various categories grew faster than the total category, demonstrating that consumers want to spend money with environmentally-conscious businesses.
Feature Image from Shutterstock Photographer Zimmytws
