朝食ビュッフェの“残り”を弁当に 物価高で注目! お得においしく食品ロスゼロへ 食べられる廃棄予定の食品をアプリで“レスキュー依頼”

Amid rising prices, a service that allows you to buy leftover food from hotel buffets and other venues cheaply through a single app is currently attracting attention. (By Asuka Nishimoto, May, Vessel Inn Sakae Ekimae, Naka Ward, Nagoya) "I successfully received my order. It's surprisingly heavy!" The lunch box the reporter received in the hotel lobby that day included hitsumabushi (eel rice bowl), chicken wings, salad, and miso soup. It was a generous portion, and the price was a mere 700 yen. Given the rising prices, the contents are quite a bargain. Bento boxes made from leftovers from the breakfast buffet The secret to its low price lies in the hotel's breakfast buffet venue. Because some people rush in at the last minute, replenishment of food is essential. (Hotel staff) "While keeping track of the amount of hitsumabushi and tempura rice balls... I think we can make about 10." We are striving to reduce food waste, but it's impossible to eliminate it completely. Therefore, they decided to utilize leftovers from the breakfast buffet as "bento boxes." They use the food-sharing app "TABETE" to "rescue" food that would otherwise be wasted. They post edible food that would otherwise be wasted as a "rescue request" on the app. Users who want it then place orders. Payment is completed through the app. The food is then handed over at a designated location. On this day, they prepared 10 bento boxes using leftover food from the buffet. There was a "Tenmusu Set" for 500 yen, featuring various types of tempura rice balls (shrimp, kakiage, etc.). There was also a "Tenmusu Chicken Bento" for 650 yen, which included not only tempura rice balls but also plenty of side dishes like chicken and salmon! And a "Hitsumabushi Bento" for 700 yen, allowing customers to enjoy Nagoya cuisine such as hitsumabushi and chicken wings. All three types sold out. How much has waste decreased since introducing the "TABETE" app? (Reina Iwasaki, Deputy Manager, Vessel Inn Sakae Ekimae) Q. Has food waste decreased since the introduction of "TABETE"? "It has decreased by more than 50%." The app's service started in 2018. Kazuma Kawagoe (34), the representative of the operating company "Co-Cooking," trained as a chef during his university years and also gained experience in restaurant management after graduation. (Kazuma Kawagoe, Representative, Co-Cooking, 34 years old) "I had a long experience working in restaurants, and I saw a lot of food being thrown into the trash every day, so I wondered if there was a way to do something about it." "Affordable and delicious food" - Attracting attention amid rising prices! "TABETE" has over 3,300 registered stores nationwide, of which approximately 150 are in the Tokai region. Vessel Inn Sakae Ekimae has been using it for three years. (Deputy Manager Iwasaki) "On the day of the interview, one customer had used the service 31 times." A man who has received "rescue requests" from hotels more than 10 times and purchased bento boxes said… (User) "I want to reduce food waste and eat something delicious and inexpensive." Also, as a measure against rising prices… (User) "When I was wondering what to do about the high prices, I learned about 'TABETE' and registered. There was a location near my office (Vessel Inn Sakae Ekimae), so I tried it out and found it delicious and filling." App-based food purchases → Approximately 60% lead to regular store visits. While the goal is zero food waste, it seems to be a way for people to discover the "taste of the store." (Kawagoe, Representative) "Actually, about 60% of people who visit a store for the first time because of 'TABETE' become regular customers afterward. We hope people will use it, not thinking about difficult things like reducing food waste, but simply thinking, 'Let's try buying something at a good price.'" Currently, the success rate of "rescue requests" from stores is 60-70% nationwide. Can the app's popularity further increase that number? For more details, check out NEWS DIG! ↓ https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/...