Radisson Hotel Group's Net Zero Plan For Food & Beverage

Radisson Hotel Group is implementing a new strategy for its hotels that places a strong focus on the role of food and beverage in achieving verified net zero status.

With food and drink contributing as much as 60% of a hotel's Scope 3 emissions according to Radisson, its approach in its first net zero properties could provide a blueprint for the wider hospitality and foodservice industry.

Inge Huijbrechts, Global Chief Sustainability and Security Officer at Radisson Hotel Group (RHG), explained that Radisson Hotel Group's transformation to net zero is built on green buildings, green energy and green operations.

While decarbonising buildings and switching to renewable energy are crucial, it is the changes within operations that directly address the large carbon footprint of food services. “At least 50%, sometimes 60%, of Scope 3 emissions come from food and beverage in a hotel,” Inge says.

Low-carbon menus and data-driven choices

To address the high emissions from its food and beverage operations, Radisson has partnered with Swedish start-up Klimato.

This collaboration focuses on reformulating menus to be low-carbon without removing guest choice.

In the group's renovated Manchester hotel, which has been in operation for 16 years, the kitchen was fully electrified as part of the net zero initiative.

The partnership with Klimato allows the hotel to analyse and label its menu items based on their carbon footprint.

“Klimato has the biggest database of food-related emissions, which is also regionalised," Inge explained.

"We know if you go to a plant-based diet, you're going to save massive amounts of carbon. But actually, if you switch one fish for another, for example, or beef to chicken, it can have a massive impact.”

This strategy allows chefs to keep a dish but "turn it into something low-carbon".

The hotel aims to guide guest decisions through visual cues and pricing while ensuring the final choice remains with the consumer.

Technology to minimise food waste

Alongside menu adjustments, a key part of the operational strategy involves tackling food waste.

Radisson works with eSmiley, a food management tool that assists chefs in weighing, analysing and optimising buffet offerings to reduce waste at the source.

To manage unavoidable leftovers, the hotel group also partners with Too Good to Go, an application that allows businesses to sell surplus food to consumers at a reduced price.

This approach not only prevents food from going to waste but also opens up a new revenue stream.

These initiatives are part of a broader move towards digitisation within the hotels, with paper collateral being almost entirely replaced by digital alternatives available on an app.

Sustainable supply chains and local sourcing

Radisson's net-zero hotel concept extends to its supply chain and sourcing policies.

The strategy involves working with a range of local food partners, which helps reduce transportation emissions and supports small local businesses.

This focus on localism is a core part of the story communicated to guests.

The commitment is also visible in other details, from the chef's uniforms, which are made partially from recycled materials, to the use of sustainable crockery suppliers and upcycled furniture in the dining areas. According to Inge, this creates a powerful narrative and a sense of pride.

By upskilling staff members like the hotel chef in sustainable practices, the impact extends beyond the hotel itself.

"By upskilling the chef in that way, wherever he goes next or in his home life, he's going to have that knowledge to make those choices,” she says.

This approach shows a commitment to embedding sustainability throughout the foodservice ecosystem, from supplier to staff and ultimately to the guest.