The global challenge of food waste has spurred innovation, and many start ups have come up with sustainable solutions. With a 1.3 billion tons of food wasted yearly worldwide, Orbisk and other start ups have the mission to empower hotels and restaurants, harnessing AI technology, in their quest to reduce food waste, driving both environmental sustainability and cost-efficiency.
The creation of Orbisk
Founded in the Netherlands in 2019, Orbisk’s inception emerged from an idea by Olaf van der Veen, noticing the significant food waste generated from buffets.
Collaborating with Bart van Arnhem and Richard Becks, Orbisk created a monitoring system capable of identifying and cataloging food waste.
AI Technology for sustainable practices
Orbisk’s AI-based solution, known as Orbi, helps on the waste management in professional kitchens. Orbi employs computer vision to automatically identify discarded food items, quantify wastage, and pinpoint the time of disposal.
It can automatically identify over 2,000 ingredients and categorizes waste sources. This plug-and-play system, processes the collected data into a personalized dashboard, facilitating waste reduction strategies based on various parameters like time, cost, and environmental impact.
Orbisk’s expansion
Expanding its reach, Orbisk is now poised to enter the French market. Orbisk aims to empower hospitality establishments in curbing food waste.
The impactful statistics emphasize the urgency: hotels discarding 70 to 90kg of food daily, while catering restaurants waste 50 to 75kg per day, contributing to environmental degradation and economic losses.
Support
Orbisk’s coaches collaborate with chefs and teams, analyzing results, setting objectives, and ensuring sustained success in waste reduction.
Testimonials and global impact
Orbisk’s impact is expressed by their partners, noting reductions in waste—up to 47%—and staff training in effective waste management practices.
With a presence in 25 countries, Orbisk’s system has saved approximately 430,000 kg.
Orbisk’s mission
Orbisk’s objective focuses on fostering a more sustainable future by transforming food waste management within the hospitality industry.
“If we were able to use all the food waste that we are now throwing away, we would be able to feed 20% to 30% more people in this world. And that’s the reason for change.” – Olaf van der Veen, one of the founders of Orbisk
