Food waste is a huge problem in the U.S., and the hospitality industry is at the center of it. Kitchens move fast, staff juggle nonstop demands, and ingredients flow in every direction. In that rush, a lot of good food ends up in the trash. The country loses an estimated 60 million tons of food each year, which adds up to a massive financial hit for restaurants and hotels.
Orbisk saw this problem as more than a number. They saw a chance for real change, powered by clear data and simple tech that actually fits the way kitchens work.
The leading food waste tech provider stepped into the U.S. market in late 2025 with a bold goal to help professional kitchens waste less, save more, and run smarter. Their move comes as the U.S. foodservice sector reaches a value of $1.5 trillion. It is a huge industry, and because of that scale, even small improvements make a big impact.
Orbisk already proved this in Europe through well-known partners like Accor, Hyatt, and Carnival Cruise Line. Now they are bringing that same momentum to American kitchens.
A Simple Tool Built for Fast Kitchens
Rachel / Pexels / At the heart of Orbisk’s work is a mission that feels both practical and ambitious. They want long-term behavior change across the food system, the kind that sticks even as staff rotate and menus shift.
Their north star goal is to save 2 billion kilograms of food from going to waste by 2029. Backed by €8 million in Series A funding, the company is building toward a future where waste reduction is the norm, not an afterthought. For them, it is not just about tracking waste, it is about helping teams build better habits that last.
To make this happen, Orbisk created the Orbi device, a small plug-and-play unit that lives right above a kitchen’s waste bin. Installing it does not require extra space or a reshuffling of workflows. Chefs do not need special training or extra steps added to their routine.
The tech startup uses advanced image recognition to identify more than 800 food items in half a second. It also weighs each item and logs the details automatically. Staff do not need to tap screens, press buttons, or type notes. This keeps the workflow smooth, and it captures accurate data every time. Orbi recognizes plate waste, prep waste, and spoiled ingredients, giving a full picture of what is lost during a shift.
Why U.S. Kitchens Are Turning to AI
Orbisk / IG / In its 2024 Impact Report, Orbisk shared that it has saved over 1.9 million kilograms of food from being wasted. That shift prevented more than 6.1 million kilograms of CO₂ emissions and avoided wasting 13.9 billion litres of water.
Cutting waste is not just good for the planet. It is a money saver. The U.S. loses over $160 billion a year from food that never gets eaten. Nearly 40 percent of all food produced in the country ends up lost. Orbisk helps kitchens take back control by showing them exactly where the losses happen. Sites using Orbi have reported savings of up to €65,000, or approximately $70,000, per year.
They also prevent about 10,000 kilograms of food waste per site each year. With results like these, most kitchens see payback on their Orbi investment in about 12 to 15 months.
To visualize that, imagine the volume of water that flows over Niagara Falls in just over an hour. These numbers highlight something important: when kitchens waste less food, the world saves far more than ingredients.
Today, nearly 1,000 Orbi systems are operational in kitchens worldwide. Each one brings Orbisk closer to its vision of building the world’s first AI-powered zero-waste kitchen ecosystem. The company believes that data can reshape how kitchens operate, providing teams with the tools to make smarter decisions every day.
