As ThaiBev is one of the biggest food and beverage producers in Thailand, it is unavoidable that there will be waste occurred in production processes. However, ThaiBev is working efficiently to reduce the number of food loss and waste ending up in landfills as much as possible. All four business units of ThaiBev, namely Beer, Spirits, Non-alcoholic beverage, and Food, are aware of their food loss and waste and put their efforts into reducing and finding ways to use food loss and waste as resources. For Beer, Spirits, and Non-alcoholic beverage business unit, food loss is now considered by-products that can be sold to create revenue, and to ensure that it will be used as resources, resulted in zero food loss and waste to landfill. The Food group is now managing their food loss and waste the best that it currently can. Food group’s food loss and waste management working team was formed in late 2020 to directly supervise and manage food loss and waste both from the production site and retails. The team consists of directors and managers of restaurant and factory to thoroughly work across the Food group to achieve ThaiBev’s 2030 target to have zero food loss and waste to landfill.
There are ongoing programs that ThaiBev have implemented to reduce the volume of food loss and waste.
ThaiBev manages food ingredient purchasing practices by analyzing historical sales data, market situation, and seasonal events over a certain period of time to predict the proper amount of food ingredients and raw materials to purchase to avoid over-purchasing. Moreover, purchasing processes are cautiously planned to minimize the number of trips needed to supply materials and ingredients. This will indirectly lower the amount of carbon footprint as well. Also, the Food group is trying to extend its product shelve life while maintain product quality to ensure that their products will all be used without being thrown away. OISHI and KFC also have integration system in place where it tracks the amount of food ingredients and raw materials in the system from which data can be used to help with purchasing decisions in the future to avoid stock excess.
There are standards in place to ensure proper management on raw materials and food ingredients. For example, on raw material receiving from suppliers, the quality of raw material will be carefully checked before getting handed over to ThaiBev. Raw materials and food ingredients which do not pass the standard will not be accepted to reduce the chance to waste the materials without them being used. Accepted items will then be properly stored depending on the need of each item to ensure that they will not go to waste.
Shabushi (Shabu Buffet restaurant chain) created the “Kin Mod Kleang” challenge for its customers. “Kin Mod Kleang” means “Eat it all so there’s nothing left”. Customers who decide to participate in this activity will be encouraged with an incentive to completely eat up the food they brought. This project not only encourages customers to consume all the food that they bring to the table but also makes them aware of the proper amount of food for each time of consumption without oversupplying themselves as Shabushi is an all-you-can-eat type of restaurant where customers are allowed to get as much food as they need, which sometimes the food ends up being brought too much.
Collaboration with partners is also an essential part that makes food loss and waste management throughout ThaiBev group efficient. ThaiBev has been collaborating with various partners to reduce food loss and waste volume as well as seek possibilities to use food loss and waste for alternative purposes.
