Cutting food waste, boosting profits

Alex Holmqvist Winge, Food and Beverage Manager at Junibacken

With children's imagination as their driving force and a heart that beats for sustainability, Junibacken has taken the lead in food waste reduction on Djurgården. Alexander, Food & Beverage Manager at Junibacken, shares how they’ve integrated Generation Waste, the concrete changes it has led to, and why they see it as their duty to lead the way for future generations

How did you get in contact with Generation Waste?It was actually Generation Waste who reached out to Junibacken. We had already taken a leading role in KDI’s sustainability work and had made good progress in our journey to reduce food waste when the joint project started.

How was the system implemented? The implementation itself was fairly smooth from a practical standpoint. The challenge was establishing routines: what should be weighed, when, and how? It took time to get everything in place, but that’s the case with any new routine or change.

How did the staff react? Initially, there was both curiosity and some uncertainty before everyone understood what it involved. But once it became part of the daily routine, it became a natural part of the job.

What results have you seen? Beyond the numbers, which clearly show reductions, awareness has increased tremendously. We think about it more every day, and it carries over into our private lives. It has become a natural part of our culture at Junibacken.

What does sustainability mean to you as a cultural institution for children? All of Junibacken’s work is about creating possibilities for future generations. That’s why I believe it's both our responsibility and duty to ensure that every part of our operation contributes in its own way and we do so with joy.

How do you handle children’s unpredictable appetites without increasing waste?We offer several portion sizes for our classics like meatballs and pancakes. That makes a big difference. And if someone wants more, they’re welcome to it.

How do you communicate your food waste efforts to children and parents? Signs, certificates, and in daily conversations. We also try to find more playful ways, together with our marketing and sustainability teams, to communicate in a way that children can easily understand.

How do you ensure efficient use of ingredients? We work with demand-driven purchasing – many small orders instead of large stockpiles. It requires more planning, but it reduces waste and costs in the long run.

What could you improve?

We could be better at documenting comments about why certain days stand out. That would increase understanding in the long term.

Has Generation Waste helped you on your sustainability journey? Absolutely. Both through the tangible results and the new mindset that has spread throughout the team. It’s as much about culture as it is about numbers.

What are you most proud of? That we led the way, inspired others, and made it work in our daily operations. That we’re truly making a difference every day.

Finally, do you have any advice for other restaurants considering starting out?Dare to begin! Like anything new, there will be challenges at first, but it’s so worth it. I can promise it will have a long-term impact, and it also creates pride and engagement among the staff.

Thank you, Alexander and everyone at Junibacken, for leading the way and showing that fairy tales and real change can go hand in hand.

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At Royal Djurgården, attractions are joining forces for long-term sustainable development

That food waste is a challenge – and that reducing waste is a shared goal – became clear at an early stage. That’s why the Royal Djurgården Society (Kungliga Djurgårdens Intressenter) is running the project Circular and Resource-Efficient with support from the European Regional Development Fund during the period 2024–2026. As part of the project – in which Junibacken participates – Djurgården’s restaurants are collaborating to reduce food waste and the use of single-use packaging, in close dialogue with each other and their guests.

As part of this initiative, a partnership has been established with Generation Waste. Through this collaboration, Djurgården’s restaurants gain access to training, data, and tools that facilitate food waste measurement and enable the collection of comparable data – forming a foundation for behavioral change.