CIRFOOD’s Zero Waste Week 2025: working together to reduce food waste
CIRFOOD's Zero Waste Week 2025 – Together we can make a real difference
Food waste remains a global problem: around a third of all food produced ends up in the trash. This involves an unnecessary amount of energy, water, and CO₂ emissions. As a caterer, CIRFOOD is committed to tackling this issue. Food waste is therefore one of our top three sustainability pillars, alongside protein transition and local products.
At CIRFOOD, we are committed to preventing food waste every day. During the national Waste-Free Week 2025, we are drawing extra attention to this mission. Not with empty promises, but with concrete action, internal commitment, and cooperation throughout the entire chain.
A selection of our activities this week:
Food is too precious to waste. Every step we take together—no matter how small—makes a world of difference.
Launch of our handbook against food waste
The highlight of this week? The official launch of our internal handbook against food waste. In collaboration with colleagues and external experts, we have developed a practical and motivating reference work, especially for our teams in the kitchens and at locations.
It contains smart tips for reducing waste streams, practical examples from colleagues, useful tools for getting started and measuring impact, and guidelines for purchasing, preparation, and presentation. In this way, we are fully committed to raising awareness, sharing knowledge, and changing behavior. Because real change starts from within—with our people.
“The handbook is not only informative, but also motivating. It shows what is possible.” – Patrick Goossen
Instock: circular inspiration menu at more locations
At CIRFOOD, we are putting the spotlight on our partner Instock during Waste-Free Week. In collaboration with them, we are serving an inspiration menu full of flavor—prepared with rescued vegetables, products with minor imperfections, or ingredients from their circular partners.
The number of (new) CIRFOOD locations offering the inspirational menu is expanding across the country. This allows us to bring circular catering to even more guests – and show that sustainability and taste go hand in hand.
Together with Orbisk: from insight to action
CIRFOOD has been working with Orbisk for some time to make food waste measurable and manageable. In 2025, we will further expand this collaboration, with a strong focus on knowledge sharing.
Together with Orbisk, we have drawn up a number of best practices in our fight against food waste. This year, that resulted in three clear one-pagers for our teams. The basis? What the data teaches us about waste: where gains can be made and which actions have an immediate effect in practice.
The Action Center highlights hotspots of waste and helps tackle them directly. The one-pagers were developed as an extension of the handbook, so that insights from the data are translated into targeted action on the work floor.
We work together to combat food waste
Food waste is not a task for one team or one week—it is a shared responsibility, every day. That is why this week we are actively engaging in dialogue with colleagues throughout the Netherlands.
In addition, we are organizing a workshop in collaboration with the Foundation Against Food Waste at one of our clients, in which we will explore how we can further reduce waste in banqueting. This is part of a national pilot project.
By sharing knowledge, experiences, and ideas, we are building an organizational culture in which waste is becoming less and less acceptable.
