Waste Management
The analysis revealed previously invisible patterns. Main courses emerged as the most critical category, with a waste rate of 12.5 percent, more than double the overall average, with peaks in both secondary and nursery schools. Side dishes showed higher waste levels in nursery schools, decreasing progressively with students’ age. First courses remained consistent across all school types.
NANDO.Canteen, on the other hand, tackles the lack of objective data on production and service. In collective catering, food management often relies solely on operator experience, leading to systematic overproduction that is difficult to control. Installed in the tray return area, a sensor mounted on a metal arm detects what is on diners’ trays just before consumption. By integrating this data with information on food prepared, provided by kitchen staff,
it becomes possible to compare
production and actual consumption, apply predictive analytics to optimize portion sizes, reduce overproduction, and improve resource planning.
The system also identified the most and least appreciated dishes within each category, providing operators with actionable insights that were previously unavailable.
Access to structured, real-time data unlocks concrete
opportunities: redesigning menus based on actual consumption behaviours, improving meal acceptance, optimising portion sizes, reducing upstream waste, and supporting ESG reporting. Moving from manual estimation to AI-driven measurement transforms food waste from an administrative burden into a strategic lever.
“ In recent years, rising operational costs driven by
increased labour and raw material prices, combined with staff shortages, have made waste measurement a critical factor in optimising operational processes for both companies and public administrations. This trend has become particularly significant in
sectors such as food service, where we have recently launched a solution that is generating strong market interest. The €3.3 million funding round closed in February 2026 enables us to further develop our technology, strengthening NANDO’s positioning in the catering and collective canteen sector.
Riccardo Leonardi, CEO & Co-founder, NANDO
For more information visit:
https://nandoai.com/
To
Measurable Impact In Just Two Months demonstrate
The Dussmann Pilot Project: the
practical applicability ” of
these solutions, NANDO launched a pilot project in December 2025 across 11 schools in the Municipality of Padua, involving nursery, primary, and secondary institutions.
In just two months of monitoring, between December 2025 and February 2026, the platform collected data on 1,236 students, recording 19,145 kg of food served and 1,104 kg of food wasted, resulting in an overall waste rate of 6 percent.
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