Aramark Ireland has released new data to coincide with National Food Waste Day, showing that its MenuMap calorie and carbon labelling tool is reshaping customer demand, influencing chef behaviour, and supporting the company’s wider farm-to-fork sustainability strategy.
MenuMap, introduced in March 2025, is available to all Aramark sites in Ireland, spanning corporate offices, manufacturing facilities, hospitals, and education centres. Designed in-house through collaboration between chefs and dietitians, MenuMap gives customers greater transparency when making food choices and supports chefs in aligning menus more closely with demand.
The latest findings draw on sales data before and after MenuMap’s launch, supported by feedback from customers and chefs across multiple Irish sites. Since its introduction, sales of low-carbon, A-rated dishes have risen by 8%, while sales of high-carbon, E-rated meals have fallen by 5%. Sales of main courses under 400 calories have grown by more than 15%.
Survey responses reinforce these sales trends. Almost seven in ten customers said they are now more mindful of calorie content when dining, while four in ten reported being more aware of the environmental impact of their meals. Longer-term demand is clear, with over 90% of respondents wanting calorie information to remain on menus and more than three-quarters saying carbon ratings should continue. One customer noted they are now “more likely to choose a less calorific option”, while another said they “tend to veer towards the option with the lower carbon footprint” when deciding between dishes.
The impact extends to kitchens. Chefs report being more mindful of calorie content and carbon impact, and many have reformulated recipes by reducing cream and fried items, increasing the proportion of vegetarian and chicken-based dishes in place of beef and lamb, and switching to lower-energy cooking methods such as oven baking instead of deep frying.
Aramark has already recorded a 3% reduction in food waste across its Irish operations. By aligning customer demand with menu design, MenuMap has helped reduce overproduction and plate waste, while chef reformulation has supported more efficient sourcing and lower energy use.
This progress underpins Aramark’s farm-to-fork sustainability strategy, which spans ingredient sourcing, deforestation risk management, animal welfare standards, and collaboration with suppliers who use electric and HVO-powered vehicles to cut emissions. Waste reduction remains a major focus, with initiatives to increase reusable packaging, minimise food waste in kitchens and reduce landfill waste on sites where Aramark manages waste operations.
Dr Caroline Donovan, Senior Dietitian at Aramark Ireland, said: “As dietitians, we know that clear, accessible information can make a real difference in the choices people make every day, alongside other public health measures. Since introducing MenuMap, we’ve seen how calorie and carbon labelling can encourage healthier eating habits and more sustainable decisions without taking away taste or variety. It shows that when you empower people with the right information, they respond in really positive ways.”
Looking ahead, Aramark plans to continue promoting MenuMap to sites that have not yet adopted it, encouraging wider use given the positive feedback received to date. The company is also extending its focus on efficiency and sustainability with several new initiatives. In October it will launch Kitchen Energy Clinics to identify energy-saving opportunities in equipment use and menu planning. Its Sustainability Champions programme is embedding change at site level, while projects such as Planet Power are reformulating meals for better nutrition and lower carbon, and Choose to Reuse is advancing circular economy practices through reusable packaging.
Derek Reilly, Executive Director of Culinary and Craft Development Aramark Ireland added: “Our chefs are embracing the insights from MenuMap to rethink how dishes are created. By adjusting recipes, using more vegetables, plant-based proteins, and lighter cooking methods, we are not only meeting customer preferences but also reducing our environmental impact. This is about embedding sustainability into the heart of our kitchens and delivering food that’s good for people and good for the planet.”
