FORO: Food Wastage and the fear of running out

Research conducted by Lime Venue Portfolio has shown that the average event wastes between 15% and 20% of the food it produces. The research also shows that of all event feedback, food is the primary source of conversation, and roughly 20% of all food-based feedback is on waste. It’s therefore fair to say that, just like organisers, delegates are becoming increasingly aware of the issue too.

Food is a right, everyone eats, most people cook, and everyone is an expert, so when it comes to food at events, everyone has an opinion. And none more so than event attendees if the food runs out.

Lime Venue Portfolio coined the phrase #FORO at the beginning of 2019 - a play on the popular hashtag #FOMO (fear of missing out) but instead referring to the fear of running out. The phrase aims to encourage wider discussions around one of event organisers’ most deeply felt fears.

At The Meetings Show in June 2019 Lime Venue Portfolio hosted a presentation from Jonathan Davies, Levy UK MD, and subsequent panel discussion to talk about this subject in more detail. You can watch the full video below or read the key findings from that panel discussion in the report.

On the panel: Jonathan Davies, Levy UK; John Kelly, BCD M&E; Anna Golden, Olympia; Paul Jennings, Levy UK and Emily Girdwood, Barclays.

Food is a right, everyone eats, most people cook, and everyone is an expert, so when it comes to food at events, everyone has an opinion. And none more so than event attendees if the food runs out.

This, Beyond Food, chapter looks at the cost of #FORO and presents some food waste solutions that may allow us to overcome it together, for the good of our planet.