Marriott Hotels launches AI initiative to reduce food waste

With the support of The PLEDGE™, a global food waste certification, Marriott has become the first hotel group to deploy AI food waste technology on this scale in the UK, reducing food waste by 25% in the first six months of 2024. By integrating the Winnow AI platform in all 53 hotel food outlets, Marriott’s F&B teams now have access to real-time data on food consumption and waste, enabling smarter decisions around ordering, menu planning, and portion sizes. This resource-efficient approach has allowed staff to significantly reduce food waste while maintaining high standards of guest service and satisfaction.

"Reducing food waste has been a priority for us for some time," said Anna Pazdera, Executive Chef and sustainability champion at Marriott Heathrow. "It’s been incredible to see the progress we’ve made to tackle this issue with the help of AI. The insights we’re getting allow us to make immediate adjustments in the kitchen, which not only helps us reduce waste but also gives us the opportunity to get creative with surplus ingredients, like turning banana peel into pulled pork for our signature vegetarian burgers."

Driven by the dedication of Marriott’s F&B teams, the initiative extends to encouraging mindfulness around food consumption, with hotels offering guests smaller portion options and raising awareness of responsible dining, particularly at buffets. Other hotels have introduced QR codes on menus, giving guests access to zero-waste recipe ideas and tips on reducing waste at home. Additional partnerships with local food banks and organisations, such as Too Good to Go, are in place to redistribute surplus food, and unavoidable food waste is diverted towards composting or recycling.

"We are incredibly proud of the tremendous effort and dedication of our teams in reducing food waste across our hotels," said Joanna Chugh, Area Vice President for UK, Ireland, and Nordics for Marriott International. "With over 3,000 team members—including culinary staff, kitchen stewards, and F&B services—working together, we've already achieved a 25% reduction in food waste within six months - the equivalent of 486 tonnes of C02 from being released into the atmosphere or charging over 32 million mobile phones"

“We’re thrilled to see how Marriott’s teams have embraced our technology to achieve such impressive results,” said David Jackson, Director of Marketing & Public Affairs, Winnow. This partnership highlights how technology, combined with Marriott’s commitment and collective efforts, can lead the way setting a new standard for the hospitality industry.”

Marriott International's sustainability efforts extend beyond food waste reduction. Likewise, all the UK, Ireland and Nordic managed Marriott hotels are Green Key certified. Green Key is internationally recognised across the hospitality industry to certify businesses that demonstrate a strong commitment to environmental sustainability. To achieve Green Key certification, hotels must meet criteria in areas such as energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, and the use of sustainable products.