At year-end, the figures come together: food costs, staffing, energy and stocktaking. Canteen managers and caterers review where costs have risen and what they could reduce next year.
One item spans several cost centres: food that was purchased, chilled and prepared but never reached a guest. Full trays after lunch service. Food left on the buffet. Surplus from the salad bar.
- €25,000 in food value: example based on 20 kg of discarded surplus a day, 250 operating days and €5/kg.
- 17 June 2027: deadline for national implementation of the EU directive.
- From five minutes a day: additional serving time with Food Be Good, covered by fixed compensation paid before the agreed service period begins.
What does food surplus cost a canteen each year?
Just 20 kilograms of discarded production surplus a day, across 250 operating days at €5 per kilogram, equals €25,000 in annual food losses.
This is an example calculation, not an industry average. Munich’s “Haus der Kost” programme also uses €5 per kilogram of food waste in model calculations. Actual food value depends on the menu and purchase prices. Source: Re:think München
| Surplus discarded per day | Annual quantity | Annual food value |
|---|---|---|
| 10 kg | 2,500 kg | €12,500 |
| 20 kg | 5,000 kg | €25,000 |
| 40 kg | 10,000 kg | €50,000 |
This calculation covers food value only. Labour, energy and disposal costs are not added. The year-end question is therefore: how much of the food purchased was eaten, and how much was discarded?
Use your own operating data: open the food waste check
Where does food waste arise in workplace restaurants?
For its 2020 interim report, United Against Waste analysed measurements from 359 workplace restaurants. The published ranges show how differently causes are distributed between sites:
| Area | Share of total food waste |
|---|---|
| Storage / best-before dates | under 5% |
| Preparation / production waste | 20–35 % |
| Overproduction | 25–55 % |
| Plate waste | 25–30 % |
The ranges depend on the business and cannot be added to form a fixed total distribution. In particular, 25–55 per cent is a share of the waste generated, not of all food produced. These are historical measurements, not a current average for all German canteens. Source: UAW interim report 2020, pp. 17–18
This distinction matters when choosing a measure: preparation waste, unserved food and plate waste have different causes. Food Be Good focuses on suitable production surplus that can still be redistributed.
A 20-month transition: what does June 2027 mean for canteens?
The revised EU Waste Framework Directive has been in force since 16 October 2025 . Member States have 20 months to transpose it into national law. This period ends on 17 June 2027. Anyone completing annual planning in late December 2026 therefore has fewer than six months remaining. Source: Directive (EU) 2025/1892, Articles 2 and 3
By the end of 2030, food waste from retail, hospitality, food services and households combined should fall nationally by 30 per cent per person . The reference is generally the annual average for 2021–2023; the directive allows certain exceptions. Source: European Commission on the reduction targets
The implementation deadline initially applies to Member States. It does not create a blanket requirement for every canteen to reduce waste by 30 per cent by June 2027. Additional operational requirements depend on national implementation. Existing rules continue to apply independently.
For annual planning, the date is a reason to clarify responsibilities, your own quantities and how you handle surplus. This article explains the EU requirements and does not replace an individual assessment of business obligations. Legal assessment dated 20 October 2026.
Food sharing for canteens: redistribute surplus instead of discarding it
Food Be Good is a food-sharing app for workplace and university canteens. It organises suitable production surplus collections after regular service and records confirmed pickups.
Counters, salad bars and buffets can be sources of suitable surplus. The responsible kitchen decides whether food may be redistributed under its hygiene procedures. Plate waste is not part of this collection process.
- Agree the process: Set pickup times, responsibilities and the participant group for the site.
- Receive compensation: Fixed compensation is paid before the agreed service period begins.
- Approve suitable food: The kitchen decides what can be redistributed and in what quantity.
- Confirm pickup: Registered participants collect meals in their own containers. The pickup is digitally recorded.
Additional serving time starts at five minutes a day. Actual work depends on the site and agreed process. Your canteen receives fixed compensation before the service period begins.
Discuss the process and compensation for your canteenWhat “up to 100 per cent” means
When food is suitable and uptake is sufficient, the full approved surplus quantity can be kept from disposal. This depends on quantities, suitability, demand and pickup times; it is not a guaranteed rate.
Redistribution uses food already prepared. Compensation covers the agreed additional work. Only changes to future production can reduce food purchases and other production costs. Redistribution does not reverse purchasing costs already incurred.
What actual pickup data can do for production planning
Confirmed pickups show which collections took place. Recording dishes and quantities as well makes it easier to identify recurring surplus.
If the same side dish repeatedly remains on Fridays, for example, the kitchen manager can compare this with production and sales data. A smaller initial batch or adjusted additional cooking can then be tested.
Pickup confirmation is not a weight measurement. Kilogram figures require weighed quantities or a clearly labelled estimate. Reduced overproduction also needs comparable before-and-after data.
Explore five food waste measurement metrics
Agree the next step at year-end
The German Competence Centre for Out-of-Home Catering cites annual savings potential of €5,000–€70,000for a roughly 30 per cent reduction in food waste, depending on the size of the operation. This concerns all food waste and is not a Food Be Good savings promise. Source: KAHV brochure
At your site, the decision starts with three questions: how much remains? What can be redistributed? Which surpluses recur?
Frequently asked questions about canteen surplus and the EU deadline
Must every canteen cut waste by 30 per cent by June 2027?
No. 17 June 2027 is the deadline for national implementation. The combined national reduction target applies to retail, hospitality, food services and households together by the end of 2030.
How much does overproduction cost each year?
That depends on quantity, food value and operating days. At 20 kg a day, €5/kg and 250 operating days, the example annual food loss is €25,000.
How much work is involved with Food Be Good?
Additional serving time starts at five minutes a day. The canteen receives fixed compensation before the agreed service period begins.
Can food from the serving counter also be redistributed?
It depends on the food and how it has been handled. The kitchen checks suitability and approves food under its hygiene procedures.
Let’s discuss how redistribution could work in your workplace or university canteen, with scheduled collections, compensation and traceable pickups.
For workplace canteensEditorial team: Food Be Good. Published 20 October 2026. Sources are linked beside the relevant statements. Product information on workload and compensation: Food Be Good.