“The U.S. Food Waste Pact’s mission is critical to reducing food waste and supporting communities across this country that face food insecurity,” said Lauren Pravlik, AHLA vice president of committees and member engagement and advisory council member for the pact. “Reducing food waste ensures hotels address sustainability while making sure food reaches families, not landfills. We are proud of our industry’s food waste reduction programs, such as Hotel Kitchen—a resource for educating teams on how to prevent, divert, and donate excess food—and we are excited to join other industries that have made this commitment.”
About 29 percent of food produced in the U.S. goes uneaten or unsold, with most sent to landfills, incinerators, or sewer systems, AHLA said, citing ReFED. The food service sector accounts for 12.5 million tons of this surplus, with lodging making up nearly 10 percent. In lodging, this equals two billion meals valued at $17 billion, offering companies the opportunity to reduce waste and save costs, the statement said.
Jackie Suggitt, ReFED’s vice president of business initiatives and community engagement, said they welcome AHLA to the U.S. Food Waste Pact.
“They have been a leader on food waste reduction not just in the hospitality industry, but across the food system,” he said. “Their work guided our recent pilot to reduce food waste at events and we are eager to have them share best practices with the rest of our signatory base.”
AHLA and WWF launched the Hotel Kitchen program in 2017 to provide training and resources on food waste reduction for the hospitality industry, the association said. As part of the program, they conducted research and workshops on strategies to cut food waste in hotel kitchens, with participating hotels reducing waste by up to 38 percent in 12 weeks.
The association has also supported federal bills on food waste reduction, including the Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, the Food Date Labeling Act and the Zero Food Waste Act, the statement said.
The AHLA Foundation recently testified before the Congressional Task Force on Enhancing Security for Special Events, highlighting the lodging industry’s anti-human trafficking efforts ahead of major global events drawing international visitors to the U.S.
