Pomona College reduces food waste by more than 500 percent using Metafoodx AI Scanner

Pomona College, a liberal arts college based in California, has reduced food waste on campus more than 500 percent with the use of Metafoodx AI Scanners.

The AI-powered tool, which has also been used at the University of Massachusetts, is designed to cut food waste and increase efficiency in small kitchens.

“In just the first month, we’ve already made great progress in reducing overproduction, and we’re excited to build on this momentum as we work toward our sustainability goals with Metafoodx,” explains Jose Martinez, General Manager of Dining Services at Pomona College.

Previously, Pomona College struggled with limited visibility on kitchen production and consumption as legacy systems were inefficient and ineffective. 

Metafoodx offers a real-time solution that prevents food waste, automates production, and logs temperatures - as well as enhanced forecasting - without the need for any staff training. 

Within weeks, Pomona reported a 40 percent reduction in overproduction at a single station and by January 2025 had scaled the platform to all dining halls on campus. This reduced overproduction by 54 percent, allowing staff to focus on the student dining experience.

“Pomona’s results demonstrate how AI can help higher education institutions achieve both financial and environmental wins,” said Fengmin Gong, CEO, Metafoodx. “We’re proud to be part of their journey toward smarter, more sustainable dining.”

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Submissions are open to organizations across the UK, the Americas, and internationally. Entries should highlight measurable impact, whether in K–12 classrooms, higher education institutions, or lifelong learning settings.

Winners will be announced on 14 January 2026 as part of an online showcase featuring expert commentary on emerging trends and standout innovation. All winners and finalists will also be featured in our first print magazine, to be distributed at BETT 2026.