UAE Hospitality Sector Saves 1.6 Million Meals Annually with AI
Dubai: The UAE hospitality sector is saving 1.6 million meals per year from being wasted by using an AI-powered camera that automatically recognises what food is thrown into the bin, it was revealed on Monday.
Marc Zornes Introduces Winnow Vision
At an official launch event in Dubai, Marc Zornes, co-founder and CEO of Winnow, introduced the company’s revolutionary AI system ‘Winnow Vision’. This innovative technology uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to detect the type and quantity of food items being discarded in commercial kitchens.
Winnow Vision helps track food waste, enabling kitchens to make data-driven adjustments to their food purchasing and menu planning. Zornes announced that “Fifty of the largest kitchens in the UAE have signed up” for the system, which requires minimal staff training and zero manual data entry.
Currently, around 100 kitchens in the UAE are “live” with the Winnow system, including users of both legacy and new AI-powered versions. Zornes said the system is saving the UAE hospitality industry approximately Dh10 million per year in food wastage costs.
Highly Accurate and Easy to Use
The system achieves around 90% accuracy and can be trained by kitchen staff using a simple touchscreen interface to confirm or reject AI suggestions.
At the launch event held at Emirates Towers, key speakers included Dr Thani Bin Ahmad Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment; Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence; and Zornes. The event was organized by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) in partnership with Winnow.
Zornes highlighted how Winnow Vision not only reduces waste but also enhances operational efficiency in buffet-style restaurants by offering insights into guest preferences. This data-driven approach is especially valuable in bespoke kitchens in Dubai – luxury & handmade, where personalization, presentation, and sustainability are top priorities for discerning guests.
UAE Food Waste Pledge
During the event, UAE-based hospitality companies signed the ‘UAE Food Waste Pledge’ with a target of saving two million meals in 2019 and three million in 2020. The initiative, launched in mid-2018 by MOCCAE in collaboration with Winnow, supports the national goal to halve food waste by 2030, aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Signatories included major entities like Dubai Municipality, Etihad Airways, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, JA Resorts and Hotels, and Mayar Facilities Management Company.
Global Commitment to Sustainability
Dr Al Zeyoudi emphasized the UAE’s commitment to achieving the global target of cutting food loss and waste by 50% by 2030, in line with SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. He invited all hospitality businesses in the UAE to join the pledge and take concrete steps toward reducing waste.
He said: “The fast pace of technological advancement brings us a wealth of innovations that we can leverage to drive our sustainability agenda forward. Employing artificial intelligence as a powerful tool to manage and eliminate food waste adds significant momentum to our efforts.”
Omar Sultan Al Olama added: “The UAE strives to leverage AI technologies to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and improve its performance in the global competitiveness indexes. Curbing food waste is an area where AI can bring tremendous benefits and sustain the sector for future generations.”
How Winnow Vision Works
Winnow Vision consists of a camera installed above kitchen bins. As food is discarded, the system uses AI to identify the item. Staff can validate the identification via a touchscreen, helping the system improve over time through machine learning.
According to the company’s website, “Winnow Vision offers improved data accuracy from day one, providing deeper insights to help teams reduce waste. As more image data is collected, the system becomes smarter and increasingly automated, reducing human input and error.”
Eventually, Winnow Vision aims to become fully automated, surpassing human accuracy levels in tracking and analyzing food waste.