Sustainability and technology: Harnessing the benefits of digital technology’

As global food production has become more efficient, many feel that the benefits don’t always offset the environmental impact and loss of local character.  After all, we have our own artisan producers to support. We’re here to help with this.

Highlighting the use of locally sourced ingredients, our Rustic and Rural trend for 2024 puts the focus on provenance and traceability.

Buying local adds character to your cuisine and brings upgrades in freshness, traceability and taste. It also demonstrates your commitment to both community and guests – the best taste experience, combined with a responsible eye on the wider environment.

The more we highlight the use of locally sourced ingredients, and offer regional ales and wines, the more it’s appreciated. Our network of over 27 UK depots can facilitate a mix of local and national supply, enabling you to blend locally sourced ingredients into your menu with ease

Around £1.2bn worth of fruit, veg and bread is wasted in the UK every year. In line with our vision to be a positive force for change, we’re determined to help address this. To discover more on how we are delivering on our pledges, take a look at our sustainability page.

For more guidance for how to reduce your food waste, why not give our Food Waste in Hospitality blog a read? It contains great ideas for engaging the team in the drive towards reducing waste, and the Menus of the Future campaign contains inspiration for adding more sustainable solutions to your menu.

One route is repurposing ingredients across day parts; another is to offer takeaways. Apps such as Too Good To Go are a great resource, offering surplus meals to the public at reduced cost. You can also set up arrangements with local organisations, such as FareShare or the Felix Project, to donate any edible excess.

Making concrete efforts to reduce food waste will enthuse your team and reassure guests – often with cost savings as a welcome bonus.

Find out more about reducing food waste in our blog here.

To discover how Bidfood is leading the way in sustainability and supporting our customers with eco-friendly practices, visit our sustainability webpage. Here you’ll find detailed information about the policies and initiatives we have in place to drive positive change.

Together, we have the opportunity to create a greener, more sustainable future for the pub industry.

We’ve noted an increasing preference among guests for a ‘frictionless’ social experience. If you can browse and order from your table, that leaves human interaction for the fun things!

The informality of a digital menu enables guests to consider options at leisure, make special requests without embarrassment and check with confidence on crucial information such as allergens. Accessing your digital menu is as simple as providing a QR code for guests’ phones.

Moving to digital ordering can help staffing pressures and remove the need for costly reprinting. Online menus are easy to update, can hold in-depth allergen information and allow for easy customisation of orders. Our ecommerce platform Bidfood Direct is set up to make this simple, from allergen information to order forms. It’s available on web and mobile, so everything’s accessible at the click of a button.

Embracing technology in this way is in line with guest preferences and improves efficiency. It also allows for seamless integration with hotel systems, making your life simpler and delivering the ‘friction-free’ dining experience guests love.

Robotic assistance takes many forms, many familiar in our daily lives. Used right, machines can relieve both pressure and stress, helping you in the drive towards maximium efficiency.

In hospitality, robotics are getting more capable by the day. Once you start investigating, the possibilities are endless.

Online ordering platforms are already helping to enhance the guest experience and alleviate staffing challenges, and it’s only just begun.

Investing in state-of-the-art robot assistance comes with upfront costs, but get it right and it will more than pay its way for years to come. Robotics can reduce labour costs, enhance efficiency, deliver consistency and allow for greater staffing flexibility.

We’re keeping a close eye on developments – and how they align with guest preferences, cost savings and operational efficiencies. One thing’s for certain: the future is arriving fast. We recommend embracing it.