From ingredient sourcing, to energy usage and food waste, restaurants have a huge social, environmental impact in the United States. inKind is proud to be building a reputation as a force for good in the hospitality industry and aims to use this momentum to continue to redefine industry norms.
Recognizing the pivotal role that sustainability plays in the future of dining, inKind has established a dedicated Sustainability Team. This team is focused on providing equitable funding for restaurant operators, mitigating the environmental impact of restaurants, and helping to improve operations and organizational practices for independent operators. Let’s break down what our Sustainability initiatives are and what they mean for the hospitality industry.
Equitable Funding For Minority-Owned Restaurant Operators
One of the most challenging parts of running and growing a restaurant is accessing the right amount of funding when operators need it, especially for minority-owned restaurants
inKind is employing a data-informed process to prioritize partnerships with minority-owned restaurants by matching the financial requirements of restaurants, without the need for operators to take out a loan or taking any ownership.
Not only do we provide funding, but we introduce operators to additional partners who can help them streamline their operations, including with HR software providers, POS companies, smallwares companies, and more.
Mitigating The Environmental Impact of Restaurants
Restaurants in the United States generate a staggering 22 to 33 billion pounds of food waste annually, according to the National Restaurant Association.
This contributes significantly to an increase in methane and other greenhouse gas emissions from landfills.
inKind’s Sustainability Team is piloting multiple approaches to reduce food waste created by our partner restaurants.
Our strategies include measuring the food waste created by restaurants, helping them adjust their purchasing practices, and then identifying meaningful ways to divert food waste from landfill.
When we help operators adjust how they purchase food so that it matches customer ordering, money will be saved. This is particularly salient given how tight the margins are in the restaurant industry.
Our diversion tactics include donating scraps to animals and composting the rest.
Helping Improve Operations and Organizational Practices For Independent Operators
There are a seemingly endless amount of balls to juggle when running a restaurant business - hiring, training, ordering, providing amazing customer service, etc.
inKind’s Restaurant Toolkit saves restaurant operators time by providing pre-vetted tech solutions so that restaurant operators don't have to start from scratch when designing their website, picking a point of sale, or sourcing an HR company.
Any time saved by operators will allow them to focus on what’s most important to their business - customer satisfaction and cooking amazing food.
inKind's commitment to equitable funding, environmental sustainability practices, and operational support is setting a new standard for the hospitality industry, empowering restaurants to thrive while making positive social and environmental impacts. While just the start, this commitment marks the beginning of a journey to redefine industry norms and create impactful change.