PHOTO
Dubai – UAE: Winnow, a London-based start-up, in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) and in partnership with Emaar Hospitality Group, has officially launched its new AI-enabled product, Winnow Vision, to revolutionise food waste management in the UAE for the benefit of both businesses and consumers.
The launch follows a proof of concept phase that was launched in March 2019. Since then, the start-up has tested its product across 12 Emaar properties. One of them, the Armani Hotel Dubai, is said to have saved a total of Dhs148,000 in 2018, while the entire Group was reported to have saved Dhs1.3 million for the same time period, owing to the new technology.
Using a camera, a set of smart scales and the same type of machine learning technology found in autonomous vehicles, Winnow Vision ‘learns’ to recognise different foods being thrown in the bin and calculates the financial and environment cost of this discarded food to commercial kitchens. Businesses and chefs can then adjust their food purchasing decisions accordingly, reducing their spending and tackling a fundamental problem of food waste: over-production.
During the training and automation phases, the Winnow Vision system takes human input, providing a shortlist of possible menu items for kitchen staff to select and to quickly improve its predictions based on feedback. Over time, the system continues to improve and will automatically recognise food with no human interaction. Chefs can benefit from full reporting in their kitchens, helping cut food waste and save money with minimal to no effort.
Marc Zornes, CEO of Winnow, said, “With kitchens around the world struggling, food waste is not just an issue in the UAE. Without visibility into what is being wasted, we know that up to 20 per cent of all food purchased ends up in the bin. By understanding and reporting food waste’s very real costs – both to the bottom line and the environment – Winnow Vision empowers chefs to take action. Using technology that learns and improves with each use, Winnow Vision has the ability to tackle food waste on a global scale.”
In the UAE, food waste costs the local economy Dhs13 billion annually. Numbers are even more alarming globally. Every year 1.3 billion tons of food produced never reach the table, costing the global economy nearly Dhs3.6 trillion.
Having emerged as a leading tourist destination with thousands of hotel and commercial kitchens that are spread across the country, operators and governments have become increasingly conscious of the challenges relating to food waste in the country and have taken a pro-active approach in tackling those.
Chris Newman, COO of Emaar Hospitality Group, said, “Across the breadth of our operations, we focus on environmental sustainability. Reducing food waste is one of the key tactical steps we have taken in ensuring that our kitchens operate to the highest level of efficiency. We also work to increase awareness among our guests on the need to cut food waste and promote a healthy environment for future generations, especially in our role as the Expo 2020 Dubai Official Hotel and Hospitality Partner. As a pioneer in introducing Winnow Vision, we will continue to explore innovative options to reduce food waste by leveraging the most-modern technologies in the field.”
Earlier in the year, the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has partnered with Winnow in a pledge to save three million meals yearly by 2020. The long-term goal is to cut food waste by a total of 50 per cent by 2030. Products such as Winnow Vision are expected to play an important role in supporting the government in hitting those ambitious targets and to revolutionise the food management in the UAE.
Speaking on the partnership, Eng Mohammed Al Dhanhani, Director of Agricultural Development and Health at MOCCAE, said: “Putting surplus food on the table not only leads to excessive expenditure, it also contributes to tons of wasted food being tossed into landfills annually and poses a grave threat to the health of our ecosystem. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment urges citizens and residents of the UAE to minimize food waste and educate people around them to follow suit so that the coming generations can enjoy a prosperous future.”
He added: “The fruitful synergies between Winnow and Emaar are encouraging. We look forward to more private sector entities joining this noble mission that helps pave the way towards sustainability.”
Installed in more than 1000 kitchens around the world and hundreds more to follow, Winnow is saving over 23 million meals a year from the bin, equal to more than $33 million in food cost savings for businesses.
About Winnow
Winnow develops cutting-edge digital tools to help chefs run more profitable, sustainable kitchens. Launched in a single staff restaurant in 2013, Winnow is trusted today by thousands of chefs in over 40 countries, in whose kitchen’s food waste is consistently cut in half. Together Winnow and its partners are saving over 23 million meals a year from the bin: the equivalent of $33 million in food cost savings for our clients. For more info: www.winnowsolutions.com
About Emaar Hospitality Group
Emaar Hospitality Group LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Emaar Properties PJSC, the Dubai-based global property developer, and manages Emaar’s hospitality and leisure projects globally. Defining its competency in managing mixed-use property developments, Emaar Hospitality Group owns and manages a diversified portfolio of assets including hotels, serviced residences, golf clubs, polo club, marina and lifestyle dining restaurants.
Emaar Hospitality Group has defined its credentials in the hotel industry with its distinctive hotel brands - Address Hotels + Resorts and Vida Hotels and Resorts. Address Hotels + Resorts has brought a fresh identity to the global hospitality and service sector by setting new benchmarks with its gracious hospitality and exceptional service standards. Address offers a more personal and engaging experience to guests in a premium lifestyle environment, enriching the lives of its guests with luxury, style and elegance. Address Hotels + Resorts is set to operate hotels and serviced residences in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Bahrain, Maldives and other key markets in the region as well as in the UAE.
An upscale lifestyle hotel and residences brand, Vida Hotels and Resorts is for the new generation of business executives, entrepreneurs and leisure travellers. Positioned as a lively and vibrant hub where inspiring minds can create, connect and come alive, Vida hotels are a stimulating environment where style meets convenience and interactivity. Vida Hotels and Resorts has two properties in Dubai and is set to operate hotels and serviced residences in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and other key markets in the region as well as in the UAE.
Underlining its strength and contribution to shaping the hospitality sector of the nation, Emaar Hospitality Group has been awarded as the Official Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai and will provide authentic experiences with a strong local flavour at various locations across the Expo 2020 site, including VIP clubs and lounges, as well as in its hotels and restaurants in Dubai.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Christoph Diesch
Edelman Middle East
+971 56 996 2086
christoph.diesch@edelman.com
Erna Klupacs
Winnow Solutions
+44 (0)203 637 2690
press@winnowsolutions.com
Disclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release.
The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages.
