Royalton CHIC Cancun Saves 140,000 Meals Each Year

How is Royalton CHIC Cancun Saving 140,000 Meals Each Year?

At the heart of Cancun’s vibrant Hotel Zone, Royalton CHIC Cancun by Blue Diamond Resorts delivers a luxurious escape. Known for its high-end culinary experiences and breathtaking views, the resort is redefining five-star hospitality by pairing gourmet gastronomy with cutting-edge sustainability.

Partnering with Winnow, the resort integrated food waste reduction into its luxury offering. At Elements Gourmet Buffet—one of the resort’s nine restaurants—food waste was reduced by an impressive 56% in just six months, exceeding the original target of 40%.

The Challenge for All-Inclusive Resorts

Blue Diamond Resorts operates over 80 properties across seven brands. At Royalton CHIC Cancun, with 456 rooms, 9 restaurants, and 4,000+ daily covers, the team faced the challenge of maintaining high-quality standards at scale.

Serving thousands of guests daily required precise food preparation and resource management, yet overproduction, buffet leftovers, and plate waste impacted both cost efficiency and sustainability goals.

Motivation for Change

For Royalton CHIC Cancun, food waste reduction wasn’t just about cost savings—it was about delivering excellence with integrity.

“Our guests perfectly understand the intention behind waste reduction… They’re more informed and committed to the environment.”
— Luis Quintero | General Manager, Royalton CHIC Cancun

Sustainability had become an expectation among luxury travelers, offering the resort a chance to lead by example and strengthen its brand values of responsibility and innovation.

Strategies and Actions Taken

Using real-time data from Winnow, the team refined kitchen practices to improve efficiency and creativity without compromising on quality.

Live cooking of chilaquiles: Switched from pre-made to freshly prepared dishes at the buffet—enhancing freshness and cutting waste.
Transforming surplus into gourmet dishes: Overproduced proteins and vegetables are reworked into ravioli and cannelloni with refined sauces.
Repurposing bread: Excess bread is redirected to staff meals or used in desserts—reducing waste in a high-loss category.
Creative use of trimmings: Fruit peels and vegetable scraps are turned into sauces, syrups, and drinks (e.g., pineapple peel infusions).

“We transform overproduction into gourmet dishes like ravioli or cannelloni. It’s creativity guided by data—waste becomes an opportunity.”
— Freddy Chi | Executive Chef

Waste Reduction Results
56% reduction in food waste by value
$165,000 in annualized cost savings
246.4 tonnes of CO₂e prevented annually
140,000 meals saved annually

Improving the Guest Experience

Every step of waste reduction also enhanced the guest experience:

Live cooking stations increased freshness and engagement.
Creative reuse of ingredients, like pineapple peel sauces or repurposed proteins, delighted diners.

By integrating sustainability into daily operations, the resort improved flavor, freshness, and presentation, proving that luxury and responsibility can coexist.

Time is Luxury: Saving Time in the Kitchen

“They work less in production and get better results. We realized we can do more with less.”
— Claudio Flores | Corporate Chef

Using Winnow’s insights, the team discovered that leaner production meant fewer prep hours, freeing up chefs to focus on presentation, innovation, and guest service.

A Model for the Future

Following the success of Elements Gourmet Buffet, the program is being expanded to other on-site restaurants.

“This is the first hotel to implement the system, and now we’re an example for the company, competitors, and strategic collaborators.”
— Luis Quintero | General Manager

The initiative is now influencing the broader Blue Diamond Resorts Group, with three additional properties starting their own Winnow-led food waste reduction programs.

Conclusion

By combining technology and culinary creativity, Royalton CHIC Cancun has reduced food waste, elevated its guest experience, and strengthened its brand identity.

“Everything is positive — we use real-time data to make better decisions immediately. We’re now an example for the company and the environment.”
— Luis Quintero | General Manager

About Winnow

Winnow develops Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to help chefs in hotels, contract catering, casinos, and cruise ships run more profitable and sustainable kitchens by cutting food waste in half.

Up to 20% of purchased food in commercial kitchens goes to waste.

Winnow’s analytics and reporting suite helps teams pinpoint waste quickly and take targeted action.

Kitchens using Winnow typically cut food waste by 50%, reducing purchasing costs by 3–8%.

Deployed in 90+ countries with offices in London, Dubai, Singapore, Cluj, and Chicago.