With rising ingredient costs, labour shortages and mounting pressure on margins, many foodservice businesses are being forced to rethink how they source and use ingredients.
Menus that once relied on complex shopping lists and single-use products are proving harder to sustain, both financially and operationally.
In recent months, a notable shift has been the sharp rise in demand for versatile vegetables that can be used across multiple menu items.
Instead of stocking ingredients that serve only one purpose, kitchens are choosing products that can flex across a variety of dishes, helping them to control costs, reduce waste and simplify preparation, writes Oli Addis, Senior Business Development Manager at Natural Innovations.
The hidden cost of single-use ingredients
One of the biggest drivers of waste in the foodservice industry is not portion size, but procurement. Niche ingredients, often purchased to complete a single recipe, can quickly pile up in fridges and store cupboards.
With short shelf lives and limited applications, these products are frequently left unused and end up being wasted. The UK hospitality and foodservice sector alone generates approximately 920,000 tonnes of food waste annually, which is not only bad for the planet, but it’s bad for profits too.
At a time when every kilo of waste is a hit to profits and sustainability that restaurants can’t afford, these inefficiencies start to add up. Restaurants are recognising that the solution lies not only in better portion control, but in starting much earlier, at the sourcing stage.
One ingredient, multiple outcomes
Multi-use ingredients change the equation. Our solutions are designed to flex across menus, from chargrilled bases with bold, smoky flavour, to roasted components that bring global spice blends to life, to blanched grains and greens that lock in colour and consistency. By using versatile techniques like these, chefs can build variety and creativity into dishes while keeping operations lean and waste to a minimum.
Beyond versatility, plant-led ingredients also carry a far lighter environmental footprint than animal-based protein. For example, chickpeas produce around 1.43 kg CO?e per kg of product compared with 35 kg CO?e per 100g of beef protein. That makes them one of the most efficient protein sources available, practical in the kitchen, and powerful from a sustainability standpoint.
That means chefs can build variety into their menus without carrying a heavy stock burden. And when every ingredient earns its keep across multiple dishes, stockrooms are leaner, prep is faster, and waste is minimised.
Smarter kitchens, less complexity
Labour challenges remain one of the sector’s biggest hurdles. In 2023, it was reported that 61% of businesses in the industry had staff shortages, while more recent surveys uncovered that hospitality has the highest sector vacancy rate of 5.1%, with a staff turnover rate of 38.7% last year.
Furthermore, in August, leaders in the industry said that more than half of the UK’s job losses since the last budget have come from the sector, totalling 89,000 since last October, according to UKHospitality analysis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.
Versatile ingredients can ease the pressure in busy kitchens. With fewer products to prep, label and store, chefs can focus on creativity and service rather than chasing down missing stock or dealing with spoilage. A menu designed with flexible “building blocks” not only runs more smoothly, but also supports consistency, vital for maintaining customer trust and reducing stress on staff.
Winning customer confidence
This challenge arises at a time when diners are more aware than ever of how food is sourced and served, meaning transparency and sustainability have become important decision drivers. Research from this year shows that 86% of people agree food waste is a national problem, with 34% identifying it as a top concern, and they expect restaurants to share those values.
This makes communication key. Menu language that highlights sustainability and versatility helps diners feel confident in their choice. Terms like “plant-led,” “low-waste,” or “sustainably sourced” frame dishes as both delicious and responsible.
The goal is not to lecture customers, but to reinforce values in a way that feels positive and natural. Restaurants that succeed here can deliver a stronger dining experience, one that satisfies the appetite while also appealing to the conscience.
Beyond business as usual
The biggest shift for many operators is mindset. Waste reduction isn’t about “doing without”; it’s about doing more with less. By embracing flexible, multi-use ingredients, kitchens can reduce reliance on fragile supply chains, cut operational complexity and stay resilient in an uncertain market.
This isn’t just about saving money in the short term. It’s about building future-proofed menus that are sustainable, efficient and appealing to diners who are increasingly conscious of the impact of their choices.
Investing in versatile, plant-led ingredients is a long-term strategy for building smarter, more sustainable kitchens. It’s a way of creating menus that are both exciting and responsible. Restaurants that adopt this approach now will benefit twice: reducing costs and waste immediately, while also building a reputation for innovation and responsibility in the long term.
In the competitive dining landscape, that combination is what will keep customers returning and keep profits more secure.
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