Nutritics launches new tech helping hospitality and foodservice sector monitor its carbon footprint
Nutrition software developer Nutritics has launched a programme called Foodprint, which allows hospitality and foodservice businesses to track kitchen carbon emissions, water use, and better understand the environmental impact of their food.
Foodprint helps businesses collect and process information, which can then be used to track patterns over time. Nutritics says its software will help hospitality and foodservice industries save time and money spent on life cycle assessment (LCA) consultants.
The technology automatically matches foods, recipes and dishes to peer reviewed LCA data sources that focus on the UK supply chain, in order to produce the most accurate readings possible.
Once recipes are added to the system, the software measures each ingredient’s carbon footprint and where it has come from. Any changes made to the recipes can be updated in real time, helping workers easily adjust their dishes to make them more environmentally friendly.
Foodprint also helps businesses manage their reporting of Scope 3 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) emissions – the indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain, which could come from purchased food and drink, fuel or energy-related activities and transportation.
The software will also allow hospitality staff to add carbon footprint scores to packaging, menus, and other promotional materials in the form of an icon similar in design to the Nutri-Score label. Nutritics says this allows companies to build trust in their brands and be more transparent with customers about the carbon footprint of their food.
Tracing the environmental impact of products is a growing interest for the food industry and consumers. Virtual trials of environmental labels have already begun in Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and the Co-op, which will allow British customers to make better choices based on how specific products impact the world and the climate.
Outside of the UK, Denmark is in the process of developing a state-controlled climate labelling system for food.
Stephen Nolan, Nutritics Managing Director said: “The software is a hugely exciting breakthrough for the foodservice sector, particularly at a time when the demands of stakeholders for ESG action and transparency are ever increasing.
“Our solution makes it easy for foodservice businesses to start and continue their ESG journey and we look forward to continuing to support the sector with this innovative technology.”
Foodprint could also encourage more restaurants and foodservice businesses to develop more circular, low-carbon menus in the future, according to the company.
Nutritics Sustainability Lead, Dr Laura Kirwan, added: “In order to make any substantial progress against climate change, we need progressive, robust and transparent technology, which track emissions in real time to inform strategic climate action — we don’t have time to get this wrong.
“Empowering consumers to make informed dietary choices is another important element in the transition to healthy and sustainable diets, and we are excited to see how Foodprint can contribute to climate action from both the company and consumer end.”
