How can we reduce food waste?

Amidst the strong growth of Da Nang's tourism industry, with millions of visitors flocking in each year, the surplus of food from restaurants, hotels, and resorts is creating a burden on both the economy and the environment.

VietHarvest members receive food from partners. Photo: Archival material.

Through the efforts of local businesses, a humane solution is emerging, with the hope of transforming waste into resources to support the community.

Challenges arising from the reality of food surplus

According to the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, by mid-2025, the city will have more than 2,250 accommodation establishments, with 163 meeting 4-5 star standards, making Da Nang the leading city in the country in terms of the number of high-end hotels. From these establishments, a large amount of leftover food is generated after buffets, conferences, and large-scale catering services that take place regularly.

A survey published in the scientific study "Managing Excess Food in 4-5 Star Hotels in Da Nang" (2023) by Dr. Tran Nien Tuan, lecturer at the University of Economics (Da Nang University) and his colleagues, indicated that the most wasted food comes from buffets. The reason lies in inaccurate demand forecasting, leading to a large discrepancy between the amount of food prepared and the actual number of guests.

Furthermore, the strict policies and rigorous standards of large hotel chains regarding the use of raw materials, ensuring food safety and hygiene, and customer service also lead to the generation of large amounts of excess food and limit flexibility in handling it.

Mr. Gentzsch André, Operations Director of Furama - Ariyana Danang Resort Complex, stated that food waste is a major challenge in the industry, with many resorts generating 100-200 kg of food waste per day. Furama Resort Danang has implemented measures such as improving portion control, adjusting menus, and collaborating with farmers to reuse surplus food as animal feed.

Some other resorts have similar strategies, but overall, these efforts are too limited, fragmented, and short-term. Businesses still struggle to establish legally compliant food donation channels, resulting in an inefficient food redistribution system.

This issue not only creates economic pressure, as the cost of disposing of excess food becomes increasingly overwhelming, but also seriously impacts the environment and the company's image.

Humanistic solution

Furama Resort Danang has proactively partnered with VietHarvest – a food relief organization established in Vietnam in 2022, inheriting the successful model from OzHarvest of Australia since 2004, to promote professional, sustainable, and humane solutions for reusing surplus food.

VietHarvest's model has been successfully implemented in many countries around the world, receiving support and commitment from major airlines such as Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, and Air New Zealand. In Vietnam, the organization collaborates with more than 50 restaurants, hotels, and food suppliers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to support the transfer of surplus food to those in need.

Ms. Ngo Phuong Anh, CEO of VietHarvest, commented: Da Nang is a major tourist center in Central Vietnam, boasting a rich system of hotels, resorts, and restaurants, which means there is a significant amount of food waste. VietHarvest conducted surveys and held direct discussions with several large-scale hotels in Da Nang, and the results showed that the rate of food waste is higher than average.

VietHarvest's plan in Da Nang begins with collaborating with hotels, resorts, and restaurants to collect high-quality surplus food that has been sorted, preserved according to guidelines, and packaged in containers provided by VietHarvest, fully complying with food safety and hygiene regulations, and with a defined delivery schedule.

Upon receiving the food, VietHarvest conducts a quality check, meticulously records information about the type of food, weight, and storage conditions, and then stores and transports it using specialized refrigerated vehicles to ensure freshness and safety. The food is then distributed to charitable organizations, ensuring it is used within a safe timeframe and reaches the intended recipients.

The initiative will be officially signed and implemented between VietHarvest and Da Nang resorts within the framework of Horecfex 2025 - a forum on technology and innovation in the hospitality industry, scheduled to take place at the end of August at the Ariyana Convention Centre.

It is expected that this step forward will bring about a professional and humane solution, helping to reduce the amount of organic waste generated in tourism services, enhance the city's image of sustainable tourism, support social welfare, and promote the circular economy.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/giam-lang-phi-thuc-pham-bang-cach-nao-3300173.html