KITRO

KITRO develops an automated food waste management solution for professional kitchens in hospitality and food service. Its core product, the TARE, uses in-bin tracking combined with image processing and AI software to record discarded items, distinguish edible from inedible waste, and identify ingredients and portions without manual logging by kitchen staff. The captured data feeds a dashboard that breaks waste down by category, service time and waste per guest, so operators can see what is thrown away, when and why.

The offering is positioned as end-to-end: hardware-based tracking, AI-driven analysis, a reporting dashboard, and a dedicated KITRO consultant who helps kitchen teams translate data into corrective actions. The company describes a four-step workflow of track, analyse, review and execute, and states the system requires no change to existing kitchen routines. Published performance claims include cutting edible food waste by up to 60% and saving 2-8% of food costs within six months, alongside CO2 reduction and ESG reporting benefits. KITRO describes itself as a female-led Swiss company employing engineers, designers, data scientists, consultants and former chefs, and cites Mettler Toledo among its technology partners.

Founding story

The company was started in 2017 by two founders from the hospitality industry who had repeatedly seen edible food discarded in professional kitchens and concluded that kitchen teams lacked practical tools to measure and prevent it. Co-founder Naomi MacKenzie is referenced by employees on the company's careers page.

Business model

KITRO supplies a combined hardware and software offering: the TARE in-bin tracking device installed in customer kitchens, AI analytics software with a dashboard, and accompanying consulting from KITRO staff. Third-party directories characterise it as an AI-driven SaaS solution for the food service industry. The website lists a pricing page and login, indicating a subscription-style commercial relationship with kitchen operators.

Revenue derives from the deployment of KITRO's tracking hardware and analytics software in customer kitchens, with a pricing page on the company website and third parties describing the offering as SaaS. Specific pricing terms are not disclosed publicly.

Traction

KITRO reports cumulative impact of 11.2 million in financial savings, 3.6 million meals saved and 1,610 tonnes of edible food waste avoided, with operations in more than 20 countries and hundreds of kitchens. Published case studies include Aramark Germany cutting waste by 37% across 22 canteens, TUI BLUE Hotels across 14 properties, Alpenhotel Ammerwald reducing waste by over 40%, the Zurich Marriott Hotel reporting CHF 140,000 in food cost savings and an 18% waste reduction in its first 10-11 months, MHP Hotel AG reporting 60,100 meals saved across four hotels since 2023, TUI BLUE Kalamota Island reporting EUR 27,800 in food cost savings, and Sydney's Opera Bar reporting a 33% drop in edible food waste.

Latest developments

In 2026 the company published case studies on Aramark Germany's 22-canteen rollout and Alpenhotel Ammerwald, and was covered by Süddeutsche Zeitung, 24 heures and Tribune de Genève on the use of AI in kitchens to combat food waste. Impact investor Pymwymic lists KITRO as a Fund II portfolio company partnered in 2024.