It's 6:30 AM on a Monday morning in Oslo. The canteen manager at Hausmanns Hus opens her email and is told that 347 guests are coming for lunch today. Tomorrow it will be 289. Next Monday 412. The numbers are ready four weeks ahead, broken down day by day. The precision? 95%.
Welcome to the canteen's new reality.
Five years ago, this would have been science fiction. Today, Holms Hage in Hausmanns Hus and 21 other Norwegian canteens use this technology every single day. They shop smarter, throw away less food, and save hundreds of thousands on their operating budget. Ole Aabel at Izy AS has heard the reactions many times. "People don't understand that it's possible. They think we're joking when we say we can tell them exactly how many lunches they'll sell four weeks ahead." It's understandable. In an industry where even experienced kitchen chefs base purchases on gut feeling and historical experience, this precision feels surprising, because decisions are supported by actual sales data, weather, and calendar. But there's a rational explanation: enormous amounts of data, machine learning, and a deep understanding of how Norwegian office buildings function.
What actually happens behind the scenes? Saurav Pandey, the backend developer who has built much of the system, explains it this way: "Theoretically, it's about using historical data to make forecasts. But in practice? It's about the canteen manager not having to lie awake at night wondering if she ordered too much fish."
Behind each forecast lies a complex puzzle. The system absorbs transaction data from the Izy app and mAIfood, cross-checks with weather forecasts, holidays, and traffic conditions. Is the building planning a big event? It's registered. Is snow coming? The system knows fewer people will come to the office.
All of this is collected, weighted, and analyzed. Out comes a number you can trust. Nine out of ten times it hits the nail on the head.
The system consists of three dashboards. Each solves its problem. Together they create something bigger.
The sales dashboard is the heart of the operation. Here the canteen manager gets the answer to the eternal question: How much food do we need? Forecasts for the current week drive kitchen production. Numbers for next week go straight to the purchasing department. No surprises. No panic orders at seven in the morning.
The CO₂ dashboard is the game's future. Here everything that can be measured is measured: food waste, energy consumption, emissions from raw materials. The system doesn't just provide numbers; it suggests concrete actions. Replace beef with chicken on Tuesdays. Lower the refrigerator display temperature by one degree. Small changes with big effects.
The resource dashboard calculates staffing needs. This is the most controversial. "When we talk about optimizing staffing, it creates insecurity," admits Ole Aabel. "People hear 'efficiency' and think 'downsizing.' But it's not about firing people. It's about using them smarter."
Ole Aabel leans forward when the talk turns to finances. "Staffing: typically 10-15% savings. Purchases: up to 30%, depending on starting level and menu flexibility. And food waste? It plummets."
The CO₂ dashboard measures everything. Food waste. Energy use. Emissions from raw materials. It doesn't just give numbers; it points to solutions.
"We believe contracts will be won on documented sustainability," says Ole Aabel.
His voice becomes more serious. "We know companies have lost contracts because they couldn't document well enough."
The EU is tightening up. New reporting requirements are rolling in. Large companies must document their carbon footprint. Not approximately. Precisely.
The end of the story goes back to the beginning. To the canteen manager at Hausmanns Hus who opens her email Monday morning. 347 guests today. 289 tomorrow. The numbers are there, clear and distinct.
A year ago, she would have had to guess. Order a little extra salmon just to be safe. Hope for the best. Now she knows. And that knowledge changes everything.
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