As a national food service provider preparing millions of meals each year, Bon Appétit Management Company recognizes both the opportunity and responsibility that comes with our scale. We take a holistic approach to managing and reducing food waste, guided by the EPA’s Wasted Food Scale.
The most effective approach to reducing food waste is prevention. To achieve this, our chefs plan production carefully, ensure proper inventory management, and train teams to reduce overproduction. When surplus food does occur, our priority is clear: donate safe, edible food to organizations that can put it to immediate use.
Food recovery is a cornerstone of our food waste reduction strategy, and our internal Food Recovery Guide plays a central role in making that commitment come to life. The guide serves as a practical resource for general managers and chefs, helping teams strengthen and sustain effective food recovery programs that divert excess food from landfill and into our communities.
The internal Food Recovery Guide supports this work by outlining consistent, best-practice approaches to food recovery across our accounts. Teams are equipped with the knowledge of how to identify recoverable surplus food, build and maintain partnerships with local nonprofit organizations, train staff on safe handling and donation procedures, and track and communicate impact. The guide reinforces our companywide expectation that every site participates in food recovery whenever feasible, while allowing flexibility to meet local needs and conditions.
Food recovery is also increasingly shaped by public policy. States such as California are leading the way with legislation like SB 1383, which requires surplus food donation and landfill diversion. Through our experience implementing SB 1383 requirements, we’ve seen how policy can strengthen food recovery infrastructure and accelerate progress when public and private efforts align. The guide helps teams navigate these requirements with confidence and positions them to adapt as similar regulations expand nationwide.
Many accounts have built deep, values-driven relationships with local organizations. Through food and equipment donations, volunteered hours, and hiring pathways, our teams support these critical community programs that provide meal programs, emergency shelter, and workforce development. These partnerships demonstrate how food recovery can be part of a more comprehensive effort to advance dignity, equity, and long-term stability in the communities we serve.
Ultimately, the internal Food Recovery Guide empowers Bon Appétit teams with the tools, clarity, and confidence to reduce food waste, comply with evolving regulations, and deepen local impact. Together, we’re building a food service model rooted in stewardship, accountability, and care for both people and planet. Join us this Stop Food Waste Day to delve deeper into the ways we approach waste reduction from field to plate.