News & insights / Case studies / 19.03.26

Waste No Food: Maroma, A Belmond Hotel

Maroma, a Belmond Hotel, completed their first Food Made Good Standard in 2025 with an admirable three-star result. With Waste No Food one of their highest scores, we were interested to learn more from the hotel’s Sustainability Manager, Osvaldo Paez. What are the challenges of reducing food waste in this beautiful but remote locality, and what strategies has the team used in tackling them successfully?

“At Maroma, food waste reduction is a fundamental pillar of our sustainability strategy,” says Osvaldo. “We recognise that poor food waste management generates significant environmental impacts as well as economic losses, so we’re committed to designing our menus and culinary processes with a circular mindset.” As he explains, this strategy includes practices such as whole ingredient utilisation, cooking techniques that minimise waste, and responsible end-of-life management when food waste is unavoidable. “Reducing food waste is not only an operational practice for us — it’s a core value that shapes how we approach gastronomy, as well as our responsibility to the community and to the natural environment that surrounds us,” he says.

Food waste challenges in the Yucatán

“Here in the Yucatán Peninsula, the management of organic waste represents a significant challenge,” Osvaldo shares. “The region’s geographic isolation greatly increases handling and transportation costs, making recycling operations less financially viable for service providers. After collection, many materials must be transported to central or northern Mexico, where recycling industries are concentrated, which further raises costs.” This situation is especially complex in rural areas like Maroma’s remote location.

What’s more, says Osvaldo, municipalities here still lack adequate systems for the proper disposal of organic waste, meaning a lot goes to landfill. “This is particularly concerning because organic waste is the largest waste stream generated by a hotel or restaurant — and poor management has direct, negative environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions,” he points out. “It’s essential for hospitality businesses to take responsibility for managing waste properly. Addressing this not only reduces environmental impact, but also contributes to building more sustainable value chains across the region.”

Measuring and managing food waste

The team at Maroma conducted an analysis of where food waste was being generated across prep, plate and spoilage. "This showed that the majority of our waste occurred during the preparation stage, prompting us to rethink our approach to menu development, integrating a circular mindset into our recipes and production methods” says Osvaldo. “By redesigning dishes to use ingredients more fully and optimising prep processes, we have significantly reduced avoidable waste and improved overall kitchen efficiency.”

The hotel operates a strict waste sorting programme with more than 15 categories, significantly reducing the volume of waste sent to landfill. Beyond food, they also develop upcycling initiatives in collaboration with local artisans. “One example is the creation of handblown glass alebrijes [vibrant Mexican folk-art sculptures depicting fantastical animals] made from the clear glass bottles used in our bars. These are offered as part of our nightly turndown service,” says Osvaldo.

Prevention is best: how local sourcing helps

Osvaldo says that local sourcing plays a fundamental role in reducing waste at Maroma, especially when it comes to packaging. “By purchasing directly from nearby producers (such as our lobster fishing partners in Sian Ka’an) as well as local farmers who supply us with fruits and vegetables, we avoid the excessive packaging that is normally required for transporting food over long distances.” This approach also means fresher ingredients and a longer shelf life, significantly reducing the risk of spoilage or waste.

“At the same time, this strategy strengthens the livelihoods of small producers by ensuring stable, long-term demand,’ he says. “Working closely with them allows us to support regenerative agricultural practices, promote biodiversity and preserve traditional knowledge that is essential to the cultural and ecological health of the Yucatán region.”

Freddy’s Bar: a zero-waste operation

Freddy’s Bar is a casual beach-side venue offering signature cocktails and a selection of small, Mexican-inspired bites served from an open kitchen. The bar embraces a zero-waste philosophy, with the beverage menu designed with the goal of creating as little waste as possible.

“We make full use of pulps and even the last bit of peel from many fruits when crafting our cocktails,” Osvaldo says. “In our mixology lab, the bar team prepares house-made syrups, concentrates and extracts using different methods to ensure complete utilisation of each ingredient.” A great example is their ‘Tomato Is a Fruit’ cocktail, designed to use every part of the tomato. “This perfectly embodies our circular approach to mixology.”

Reusing: The role of community partnerships

The team at Maroma works closely with local partners to guarantee surplus food is managed responsibly. “A key example is our collaboration with the Food Bank of Mexico through the Al Rescate programme, which allows our surplus food to be transformed into direct nutritional support for vulnerable communities,” he shares. “Through this programme, surplus food is donated to the Contando con un Amigo community dining hall. Even the pulps left from our drink preparations are transformed into desserts for the children served daily by the organisation.” Since March 2024, the hotel has contributed 610.25kg of rescued food — equivalent to 2,034 portions — benefiting more than 80 children supported by the Contando con un Amigo foundation.

“This organisation operates in one of the most vulnerable areas of Playa del Carmen, providing daily meals and education to children between the ages of three and 15,” Osvaldo continues. "For us, ensuring that surplus food becomes community wellbeing is a tangible way to reduce environmental impact while generating positive social value.”

This collaboration goes beyond food donations. “In 2025, we selected Contando con un Amigo as the beneficiary of the second edition of our Bee School programme, an educational initiative designed to raise awareness among younger generations about bee conservation, biodiversity loss and climate change. This is more than a project: it represents an opportunity to plant environmental awareness in the next generation.”

Recycling: Finding value where waste is unavoidable

At Maroma, any unavoidable food waste is recycled through one of two main routes. “In partnership with a local farmer, approximately 90% of our organic waste is redirected for pig feed, ensuring that this material is reintegrated into the productive cycle rather than ending up in landfill,” says Osvaldo. The remaining 10% is composted at the hotel. “Our gardening team transforms this material into nutrients that are used to maintain our gardens and contribute to the health of the hotel’s ecosystem.”

Thanks to these strategies, 100% of food waste at Maroma is either recycled or composted, avoiding landfill entirely. “We adopted this model because the municipal waste system does not offer composting or organic waste recycling options. With the lack of specialised providers in the region, we developed our own partnerships and internal solutions,” says Osvaldo.

Operational pillars that work

Maintaining a successful food waste strategy requires constant alignment and a strong internal culture. At Maroma, says Osvaldo, this is accomplished through four operational pillars.

Continuous employee training. All new hires participate in a four-hour sustainability onboarding course called the Art of Sustainability. To reinforce this, supervisors in each department deliver monthly sustainability trainings. “Supervisors and managers attend the ‘Train the Trainers’ workshop twice a year to update their knowledge and strengthen their teaching skills,” he says. This structure ensures that sustainability is embedded in daily operations and that every team member understands the role they play.
Proper infrastructure in kitchens and bars. “Each area is equipped with clearly labelled containers to ensure correct waste separation at the source.”
Daily audits and operational support. “Our sustainability team supervises waste separation every day. This is not a policing exercise, but rather close operational support to resolve questions in real time and ensure good practices are consistently applied,” Osvaldo shares.
Efficient handling and logistics. The team maintains dedicated storage space in their waste chambers to hold organic material until collection. They also operate a weighing and recording system that allows them to track volumes by category, analyse trends and continuously improve processes.

The business benefits of cutting food waste

Osvaldo says that taking control of food waste has strengthened the business in multiple ways, beyond environmental benefits. "From operational efficiency to culinary innovation and guest engagement, our reduction in food waste policy approach has become a powerful driver of value across the property, from different perspectives,” he shares.

Operationally, waste-tracking systems and strict separation practices allow the team to better understand consumption patterns and to be able to implement effective measures to reduce them, streamlining back-of-house processes.
Financially, the combination of accurate forecasting, efficient inventory management and improved ingredient utilisation has translated into cost savings. “Redirecting organic waste through partnerships has also helped us avoid the high costs associated with landfill disposal.”
Creatively, the focus on using ingredients to their full potential has inspired the hotel’s culinary and bar teams to think differently. “Instead of seeing by-products as waste, they are now viewed as opportunities. This mindset has led to a range of innovative preparations — from house-made syrups and ferments in our mixology lab to dishes and garnishes created from parts of ingredients that might traditionally be discarded. The result is a more inventive, thoughtful and resource-efficient menu.”
From a guest perspective, Osvaldo says that Maroma’s zero-waste philosophy has generated strong interest and appreciation. “Visitors increasingly want to dine in places that reflect their values, and our approach resonates deeply with travellers seeking authentic, responsible hospitality. Signature items like our ‘Tomato Is a Fruit’ cocktail tell a story of creativity and sustainability, enhancing the guest experience and differentiating Maroma in a competitive market.”

Looking ahead for Maroma

“Aligned with Belmond values, our focus is on continuing to enhance the guest experience and wellbeing through delicious, sustainable choices, while empowering our teams to shape the future of food and beverage,” says Osvaldo. “This means deepening our commitment to circularity by strengthening the way we source, trace and utilise every ingredient.”

Not content with an already robust strategy, next steps include expanding their network of local and regenerative producers, improving ingredient traceability across the supply chain, and investing in better data capture to support informed decision-making. “We aim to refine our procurement systems so we can better track supplier practices, ensure compliance with our sustainability standards and continue aligning our menus with a zero-waste philosophy. Ultimately, our goal is to make circularity the foundation of how we design food, manage waste and collaborate with our community.”

Food Made Good at Maroma, a Belmond hotel

Maroma signed up for their first Food Made Good Standard in 2025. “Our motivation to join Food Made Good stemmed from our deep commitment to sustainability and from the recognition that food and beverage — one of the key pillars of our Sustainability Policy — requires specialised tools to assess and strengthen our practices,” says Osvaldo.

“The Standard offered exactly what we needed: a structured, credible and sector-specific framework that allowed us to evaluate our performance against our own ambitions in gastronomic sustainability. For us, this certification was a starting point to understand where we stood in relation to the commitments outlined in our Gastronomy pillar and to validate whether our efforts were aligned with international best practices. It provided clarity, direction and a pathway for continuous improvement.”

He says that the team found the process to be very accessible and well supported. “The assessment is clearly structured and served as an educational tool, helping us recognise the importance of topics that we had not previously considered in depth. The guidance and resources provided made the journey both rigorous and enriching.”

“What surprised us most was the level of depth within the Standard. It goes far beyond operational checklists and truly examines how the entire F&B value chain can reduce its environmental and social impact. We were particularly impressed by the Feed People Well focus area, which encourages thoughtful menu design grounded in nutrition, wellbeing and responsible sourcing. This level of detail pushed us to reflect more deeply on the impact of our culinary choices — not only environmentally, but also in terms of guest health and community wellbeing.

“The Standard has brought operational clarity, inspired innovation, and strengthened our commitment. Ultimately, the certification process was much more than a benchmark; it was an opportunity to learn, to validate our progress and to strengthen our long-term vision for sustainable gastronomy.”

How has Food Made Good supported sustainability at Maroma?

Osvaldo says that Food Made Good has had a significant and positive impact on the way the hotel approaches sustainability in food and beverage operations. “Receiving our report and final score provided us with a clear, structured view of our strengths and areas for improvement, allowing us to refine our strategy with greater precision and intention,” he says, pointing to some of the more tangible impacts.

Stronger sourcing practices. “The assessment motivated us to conduct a more rigorous search for suppliers with solid sustainability credentials and better traceability.”
More circular menu design. “We have integrated circularity more intentionally into our menus, encouraging our culinary and bar teams to use ingredients more efficiently and reduce waste at every step.”
Improved internal alignment. “The Standard has helped reinforce our training programmes and increased team engagement by giving everyone a clear roadmap and shared purpose.”

We wrap up our conversation by asking Osvaldo what advice he would offer hotels that want to build more circular food systems but are unsure where to begin. His advice is simple. “Start with what you can control today. Circularity does not require perfection; it requires intention and consistency. Here are three practical starting points: understand your waste, strengthen your sourcing practices and empower your teams.”

We look forward to supporting Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, as they continue to build on their exceptional commitment to responsible gastronomy.

You can find out more about Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, on their website.  

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All photos courtesy of Maroma, A Belmond Hotel.