Winnow raises $7.4 million to further develop its smart kitchen technology

Winnow, the UK-based startup that has developed smart kitchen tech to help commercial kitchens reduce food waste, has raised $7.4 million capital in a funding round co-led by Circularity Capital, and existing backers Mustard Seed, and D-Ax. The latest funding follows a $3.3 million Series A round in January 2016. The startup counts the likes of IKEA, Compass Group, and Accor Hotels as customers, and estimates its 600-plus clients are saving 4,300 tons of food waste annually through the use of the Winnow system.

Launched in 2013, Winnow helps the hospitality industry to cut down on food waste by making commercial kitchens ‘smarter.’ It does this via the Winnow Waste Monitor, a set of smart scales and accompanying tablet app that lets kitchen staff easily log what food is thrown away. That data is then uploaded to the cloud, analyzed by Winnow’s algorithm, and disseminated so that food waste can be reduced. The food waste eats into the margins of restaurants and kitchens, which tend to be incredibly thin to begin with. Once its tech is installed, Winnows says that customers typically see food waste cut in half within 12 months, reducing food purchasing costs by 3-8 per cent.