PwC Amsterdam Saves 25,000 Meals a Year with Winnow’s AI Food Waste Management System

PwC, a global leader in professional services, is widely recognized not just for its expertise in assurance, tax, and consulting, but also for its firm commitment to sustainability. At its Amsterdam headquarters, the culinary team operated by ISS has embraced sustainability fully. Through the implementation of Winnow’s AI-powered food waste technology, PwC Amsterdam has transformed its kitchen operations, achieving a remarkable 40% reduction under the leadership of Executive Chef Rene Vermoolen.

The Challenge

Despite PwC’s sustainability-forward culture, the food service team faced persistent challenges: overproduction and unclear visibility into waste drivers. This hindered both environmental targets and operational efficiency, particularly in high-demand zones like banqueting services, where consumption patterns varied greatly.

Ambitious Targets

ISS has set ambitious goals: a 50% reduction in food waste by 2030 and transitioning to 80% plant-based offerings. For Executive Chef Rene Vermoolen, these goals aligned with his own values.

“PwC really goes all in, they monitor everything.”

— Rene Vermoolen, Executive Chef, ISS at PwC Amsterdam

The company’s structured sustainability framework and culture of accountability provided a strong foundation for the initiative.

Data-Driven Decisions

Daily and weekly reports became the cornerstone of operations.

“If I see five kilos of pasta wasted in a day, I can act immediately.”

— Rene Vermoolen, Executive Chef, ISS at PwC Amsterdam

Unlike previous monthly summaries, Winnow’s real-time feedback allowed the team to make immediate adjustments, resulting in faster learning loops and more agile kitchen management.

“Measuring is knowing. If you don’t measure, you don’t know what to improve. It takes a short time to measure and saves stress and money.”

— Rene Vermoolen, Executive Chef, ISS at PwC Amsterdam

Strategies and Actions Taken

Smarter Production Planning

Using Winnow data, rice prep was reduced from 230 portions to a demand-driven 200, minimizing overproduction.

Menu Streamlining in Banking Services

Salad options were reduced from two to one. Snack bread portions were halved. These changes directly targeted items repeatedly flagged for waste.

Ingredient Reuse

The team creatively repurposed surplus ingredients across the menu. Leftover bread rolls were sliced into croutons and used in soups and salads, while cooked pasta was transformed into pasta salads for the following day. Surplus vegetables were given a second life as components in newly prepared salads.

Data-Driven Replacement

Dishes like tomato pasta sauce, which were consistently unpopular, were replaced with better-performing options—based on combined insights from Winnow and the point-of-sale system.

A Greener Menu

PwC’s roadmap includes increasing plant-based offerings from 30% to 80%, while reducing food waste by half by 2030. Challenges such as consumer readiness and the cost of organic, plant-based ingredients remain. But as Rene notes:

“The shift will come with time as awareness grows.”

— Rene Vermoolen, Executive Chef, ISS at PwC Amsterdam

Conclusion

The success of ISS at PwC Amsterdam underscores the power of combining technology with committed leadership. Under Executive Chef Rene Vermoolen, the team turned insights into action—achieving financial, environmental, and cultural transformation. It’s a compelling example of how even complex operations can make big strides toward sustainability when measurement and motivation align.

About Winnow

Winnow develops Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to help chefs in large businesses like hotels, contract caterers, casinos, and cruise ships run more profitable and sustainable kitchens by cutting food waste in half. Measuring food waste is a challenge for all commercial kitchens, with up to 20% of all food purchased going to waste. Winnow offers a solution for every kitchen.

Our analytics platform and reporting suite help teams pinpoint waste quickly, allowing enterprises to drive significant reductions at scale. Kitchens that use Winnow cut food waste by half on average, driving food purchasing costs down by 3%–8%, improving margins whilst doing the right thing. Winnow is deployed in over 90 countries with offices in London, Dubai, Singapore, Cluj, and Chicago.