The Missing Profits
The trouble with leftovers
Caught in the act: When a fast food outlet staff accidentally left a trash bag of excess breakfast items unattended, the photographer immediately snapped a shot of it with his camera phone.
In 2002, The Straits Times reported that as many as 2000 loaves of bread were tossed away daily in the 18 Breadtalk outlets. The same was repeated across the island in various bakeries.
In response to the article, Miss Laimer founded Food From The Heart in 2003. Since then, 100 bakeries and eight hotels have hopped onto the bread waste reduction bandwagon.
“Logistical work for staff is minimal and it’s not harder than if we were to just throw out the bread,” says NYC Bagel’s managing director Ken Katz, 32. He donates about 100 pieces of bagels to Food From The Heart every day.
Breadtalk chooses not to donate its leftovers. The 25-outlet bakery chain prefers to bake fresh bread for the needy instead.
The bakery did not reply by press time. But it is believed that food safety is the underlying reason for food retailers not to redistribute leftovers. Many food businesses fear facing potential lawsuits tied to food poisoning cases. They rather discard unwanted cooked food than use it and risk ruining their reputation.
It is against the food industry ethics to serve leftover cooked food for customers, explains manager of 7th Storey Seafood and Charcoal Restaurant Andy Chua, 50.
“Even when richer patrons only consume the chicken thighs, the entire chicken dish is thrown away because of hygiene reasons,” he says.
Larger F&B chains are unwilling to let staff take home cooked leftovers. They are worried that the staff might fall sick after consuming it or, worse, resell it for personal profits.
At Crystal Jade Bakery in Ang Mo Kio Hub, bread is sold at a reduced to clear pricing after 8.30pm. As staff are not allowed to take home leftovers, an average of 80 pieces of bread still gets thrown away.
“People in Singapore have sensitive stomachs and companies are unwillingly to take the risk,” explains restaurant consultant Guy Hoh, who is also former deputy director of marketing and consultancy for the Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre.
When hotels, such as Shangri-La and Sherton Towers, give away food to their staff and pack leftovers for the banquet guests, they usually get them to sign an indemnity form.
Smaller food proprietors, however, are less strict about food recycling.
Bread Watch Image 2 (continued from Image 1)
“Small operators cannot afford to have leftovers,” explains owner of All Time Favourite Kopitiam in IMM Andy Lim, 56, who has been working in the F&B industry for over 30 years. “It’s bad for their business and competition these days is so tough.”
A check with 20 stall owners at Kreta Ayer Market and Food Centre also revealed that unsold fresh produce, such as meat, vegetables and fruits, are usually brought home, given to charity or sold to the food stalls above at a discounted price. Dumping leftovers is the last resort.
At Mr Shrestha’s restaurant, edible but unused food parts such as beef trimmings, broccoli stems and even wrongly ordered food become staff meals.
Says owner Mr Shrestha, “It’s important not to let food go to a waste when you run your business.”
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ARTICLE RESOURCES:
• Food Retailers Throwing Away Food
• Food Waste in Festive Season
• Dumping food that's good enough to eat
This is really sinful!