Award for sustainable company catering
Picture: © BMLUK / Rene Hemerka
The restaurant “Kesselstube” at Hargassner’s headquarters in Weng im Innkreis was honoured with the Viktualia Award 2025 in the category “Reduction of food waste in gastronomy and communal catering” for the project “Enjoy to the Last Bite: Lunch Menus at Hargassner”. The prize is awarded annually by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management (BML) and recognises outstanding projects aimed at reducing food waste in Austria.
Pictures: © BMLUK / Rene Hemerka
Zero-waste concept wins over jury
The decisive factor for the award was the Kesselstube’s comprehensive sustainability concept, which is largely implemented by head chef Christopher Wohlfarter and his team.
With the help of specially developed ordering software, over 51,500 menus and 20,000 salads are precisely recorded and planned according to demand every year. As a result, up to 12,000 portions of overproduction can be avoided – virtually waste-free catering for around 400 employees and numerous guests.
Digital solution for precise planning
The ordering software is based on a .NET client-server application and is accessible via touch terminals throughout the plant. Employees order their menus on a daily basis, which enables precise quantity planning. The software was developed in-house and continuously expanded – most recently for the new service centre with R&E centre.
Holistic approach from source to plate
The concept goes beyond the kitchen:
- Regional suppliers such as farm shops and farmers are included in the planning
- Leftovers are creatively processed or offered as a “small edition” in the bistro.
- Vegetarian menus reduce meat waste
- Drink dispensing systems and reusable bottles replace PET bottles.
- Future worm bins will turn food waste into compost.
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