Thailand faces a critical food waste crisis, contributing to 64% of total waste, with the average Thai citizen discarding 254 kilograms of food annually. Central Food Group, the nation’s leading supermarket chain, has partnered with Smartway, a global food waste management expert, to pilot a digital solution to combat this issue. The pilot project, set to launch in the second quarter of 2024, will be implemented in five Tops stores across Bangkok and the metropolitan area.
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AI-Powered Solution to Tackle Food Waste
While millions face food insecurity, vast amounts of edible food go to waste in stores. Central Food Group’s collaboration with Smartway, boasting over 12 years of experience in food waste management with leading retailers, aims to address this paradox. Smartway’s system, currently deployed in over 2,000 retail stores worldwide, has already prevented over 250 million items from being wasted.
The Smartway solution, powered by proprietary artificial intelligence (AI), empowers store teams to efficiently manage food waste. In Central Food Group stores, the system will:
- Automatically detect products nearing expiration dates using the “GPS Short Date” system.
- Determine the most suitable recycling channels for each product.
- Automatically reduce prices through customized labels for each item.
- Optimize the ordering process through digital integration.
A Win-Win Solution for All
The AI-powered solution benefits all stakeholders. Retailers reduce food waste and increase revenue, while employees experience a fourfold increase in efficiency through guidance on managing near-expiry products. Customers also benefit from a wider variety of discounted items, leading to cost savings and increased purchasing power.
Reducing Food Waste by 30%
Central Food Group is committed to its “Green & Sustainable” business philosophy and aims to be a leader in sustainable retail practices in Asia. The company has set ambitious goals, including a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, promoting eco-friendly products and packaging, and implementing efficient waste management systems with a target of reducing food waste by 30%.
Since 2019, the company’s “Food For Good Deed” project has distributed over 5 million meals to over 700 communities nationwide, utilizing surplus food from 129 Tops, Tops Food Hall, and Tops Daily stores, as well as from the company’s fresh distribution centers.
Central Food Group has also partnered with the startup Jaikla to repurpose unsold food into insect feed, further processed into pet food sold in Tops stores. Additionally, the company collaborates with Smartway to efficiently manage food waste and transform surplus food into biogas.
A New Era in Food Waste Management
“As Thailand’s largest supermarket chain, we recognize our responsibility to lead by example in sustainability and combating food waste, which is at the heart of our environmental approach. We are thrilled to be the first supermarket chain in Thailand to implement Smartway’s solution, which will help us achieve the ambitious goals of our ‘Green & Sustainable Retail’ vision, aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Stephane Coum, CEO of Central Food Retail Group.
“We are honored to be chosen by Central Food Group as their partner in the fight against food waste. This collaboration not only marks the launch of our solution in the Asian market after our success in Europe but also represents a significant step in our company’s growth. Smartway is proud to contribute to the social responsibility policy of this leading supermarket chain,” said Paul-Adrien and Christophe Meneses, co-founders of Smartway.
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