Vishnu Rageev R is a journalist with more than 15 years of experience in business journalism. Before joining Asian Media Group in 2022, he worked with BW Businessworld, IMAGES Group, exchange4media Group, DC Books, and Dhanam Publications in India. His coverage includes industry analysis, market trends and corporate developments, focusing on retail, real estate and hospitality. As a senior journalist with Asian Hospitality, he covers the U.S. hospitality industry. He is from Kerala, a state in South India.
THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association and World Wildlife Fund have revamped the “Hotel Kitchen” platform to help U.S. hoteliers reduce food waste, divert food from landfills and lower operating costs. The initiative supports the goal of halving U.S. food waste by 2030, AHLA and WWF said in a joint statement.
Hotel Kitchen is part of AHLA's Responsible Stay initiative, which promotes energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation and responsible sourcing, the statement said. Since its 2017 launch, more than 36,000 hotel staff have completed the training, with pilot properties reducing food waste by 17 to 38 percent.
“Reducing food waste provides a number of important benefits: it’s good for the environment, reduces hoteliers’ operating costs and conserves resources at a time when too many Americans are food insecure,” said Lauren Pravlik, AHLA’s vice president for committees and member engagement. “The Hotel Kitchen platform is dedicated to helping hoteliers achieve these goals, and we are pleased to continue sharing this resource with the industry through our partnership with WWF.”
Improvements include:
Guidelines and best practices for all hotel employees, from corporate leadership to operators and staff handling meetings, events and food and beverage operations.
Faster access to Hotel Kitchen resources, such as the 16-Week Champion’s Guide Checklist, the Fighting Food Waste in Hotels Video Training Series, and the Food Waste Audit Guide.
An updated Lobster Ink online training platform for hospitality employees to track progress in implementing food waste reduction programs.
Through Responsible Stay, AHLA co-manages the Green Key Global sustainability certification with the Hotel Association of Canada and has partnered with IncentiFind to help hotels identify sustainability cost savings, the statement said.
“With food at the forefront of every hospitality experience, reducing food waste in hotels helps move the entire sector in the right direction,” said Pete Pearson, WWF vice president of food, food loss, and waste. “For years, Hotel Kitchen has shown what can be achieved when the right tools are used by hotels and event staff. The latest updates make the program even more accessible, as we work to bring the broader meetings and event community along on this journey.”
AHLA convened hotel and sustainability leaders in Washington for the second annual “Responsible Stay Summit” on Feb. 28, reaffirming the industry’s commitment to environmental sustainability. The summit, part of the 2022 Responsible Stay initiative, focused on energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation and responsible sourcing.
Sonesta launched Americas Best Value Studios, an extended-stay version of ABVI.
The model targets owners seeking limited front desk and housekeeping.
The brand meets demand for longer-term, value-focused stays.
SONESTA INTERNATIONAL HOTELS Corp. launched Americas Best Value Studios by Sonesta, an extended-stay version of its franchised brand, Americas Best Value Inn. The model targets owners seeking limited front desk and housekeeping, optional fitness center and lobby market along with standard brand requirements.
The brand aims to address the growing demand for longer-term, value-driven accommodations, Sonesta said in a statement.
"Americas Best Value Studios by Sonesta represents a strategic evolution of our trusted Americas Best Value Inn brand," Keith Pierce, Sonesta’s executive vice president and president of franchise development, said. "We are expanding our offerings to directly address the increasing demand within the extended-stay segment, providing a practical solution for travelers seeking longer-term lodging at value. This new brand type allows our local franchised owner-operators to tap into a growing market while maintaining the community-focused experience that Americas Best Value Inn is known for."
ABVI has a majority presence in secondary and tertiary markets, the statement said.
The extended-stay brand’s operational model features a front desk, bi-weekly housekeeping, on-site laundry and pet-friendly accommodations, Sonesta said. Guests can also earn or redeem points through the Sonesta Travel Pass loyalty program.
In August, Sonesta named Stayntouch its preferred property management system after a two-year review of its ability to support the company’s franchise model. The company operates more than 1,100 properties with more than 100,000 rooms across 13 brands on three continents.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Asian Media
Group USA Inc. and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.