Magic Costa Blanca Hotels & Resorts continues to work to improve sustainability in its accommodation with actions aligned with the UN Agenda 2030. In this sense, one of the main challenges for hotel establishments must be the fight against food waste in restaurants and buffets, as it is estimated that every year a third of the world's food production is wasted. 

For several months now, the accommodation 'Magic Cristal Park' located next to the centre of Benidorm, has initiated an innovative project supported by technology and leading consulting companies in the fight against waste such as 'Open Revenue Consulting' and 'Horeca Sustainability Solutions' to curb this situation.

Thanks to a specialised training and awareness programme for hotel staff on the importance of preventing food waste and the implementation of measures such as Food Intel Tech technology (supported by an APP, tablets and digital scales), it has managed to improve the monitoring and control of the entire food journey, from its purchase until it ends up on the customer's plate. Along with this daily control, more than 60 team members (Management, chefs, Food and Beverage staff and departments such as Marketing or Purchasing) have been trained to implement a plan with different actions (including communication management with customers, internal evaluation of the menu and implementation of good practices to prevent food waste by raising awareness among the team and customers about the importance of not wasting food.

 In less than 4 months, this plan has managed to save more than 12,000 kg of food and more than 24,000 meals at the buffets, reducing CO2 emissions by 30,211 kg (the equivalent of 154,136 km by car). In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and gaining a better understanding of guests' food tastes to avoid food waste and save energy, these actions have achieved cost savings of more than 48,000 euros for the accommodation.

Artificial Intelligence and awareness

Along with Cristal Park, all of the Magic Costa Blanca group's accommodation and resorts are working on different solutions to help improve the planet and manage food waste. Most of the group's establishments have already joined the well-known app 'Too Good To Go', an application that sells products from restaurants and buffets that have not been consumed to give them a new use.

 Since its implementation, accommodations such as Villa Luz have managed to save more than a hundred meals. The accommodation located next to the beach in Gandía, also has the most advanced technology on the market (by the company Winnow) to measure and analyse food waste through a system equipped with AI and tracking cameras that maximise operational efficiency and data accuracy to reduce food waste. Thanks to this management, the hotel has stopped generating more than 6,000 kg of CO2 per week, saving the equivalent of more than 3,500 meals per week.

New Technologies to take care of the Planet

Javier García, vice-president of Magic Costa Blanca, explained that one of the company's values continues to be trying to improve the planet: "We are very satisfied, but we have to continue working in this direction. The first results of incorporating new digital tools into our buffets and restaurants are positive and highlight our commitment to controlling food waste and improving our impact on the world by reducing our emissions, as recommended by the UN. These first tests in accommodations such as Cristal Park or Villa Luz have to be the starting point for more hotels and resorts to join and be aware of the importance of being more sustainable, supported by new technologies".

Cristina Blaj, CEO and Accredited Sustainability Consultant at Open Revenue Consulting commented that it is an "innovative project that can inspire other hotels, restaurants and destinations in the Valencian Community and the Spanish sector".

Finally, Marcel Hendrickx, CEO of HORECA Sustainability Solutions and Giovanni Pitorri Project Lead at HORECA Sustainability Solutions, highlighted that "the tourism sector in Spain and globally is at a turning point where immediate action is needed to accelerate the race against climate change", for which they have shown their gratitude and collaboration to Magic Costa Blanca Hotels & Resorts for joining the initiative.