Mitchells & Butlers Case Study: Food Oil Monitoring

Mitchells and Butlers

Improving food quality, reducing waste and saving time with Klipspringer's Food Oil Monitor

Background

Prior to working with Klipspringer’s food oil monitors, the kitchen teams at Mitchells & Butlers were having to guess when their oil needed to be changed. They wanted to switch up this approach for a number of reasons:

Prematurely changing oil resulted in unnecessary costs.
Team members were wasting time changing oil that could have had a longer life span.
Team members were disagreeing over when oil changes should take place.
Guesswork resulted in a higher risk of cooking with dirty or overused oil.
Some foods change the colour of oil making it hard to tell when it needs to be replaced.

Following on from a consultation with Klipspringer, Mitchells & Butlers undertook a trial in four of their brands and saw impressive results. The full roll out was then going to span eight to ten months, but with the help of Klipspringer this time frame was reduced to five.

With over 1,700 restaurants and pubs, Mitchells & Butlers have been hosting life’s memorable moments for 125 years. Committed to delivering great service, quality and value for money to guests across the UK, their brands include Toby Carvery, All Bar One, Vintage Inns, and Harvester.

In Mitchells & Butlers' words...

The Solution

Instead of relying on subjective visual checks, Klipspringer’s Food Oil Monitor provides a digital measurement that allows its user to know exactly when to change their oil. Using a simple traffic light system, this monitor conveys the status of the oil in thirty to sixty seconds – if the light flashes green the oil quality is fine, if it flashes amber it will need to be changed soon, and if it flashes red the oil will need to be changed immediately. The screen of the monitor also displays a numerical measurement that reflects oil quality, along with the temperature of the oil.

Oil is safe to use

Change oil soon

Oil change required

"The initial investment in introducing oil monitors has paid for itself."

Phil Sharp, Manager of Kitchen Operations

Why did Mitchells & Butlers choose Klipspringer?

Personalised Trial Period

To ensure Mitchells & Butlers had full confidence in their investment, we carried out a nationwide trial across a number of the company’s brands. During this trial period, we worked closely with the Mitchells & Butlers data teams to ensure accurate and meaningful results were achieved. This gave the Mitchells & Butlers’ commercial team the confidence to proceed with the rollout of the food oil monitor across all of its locations.

Robust Implementation

Klipspringer was heavily involved in the roll out of the food oil monitors, guiding Mitchells & Butlers through every step of the process. To ensure the monitors landed successfully, we created comprehensive training webinars – staggering their release so there was a steady stream of support. These training resources outlined how to use the monitors and how to record results. They also acted as a Troubleshooter for the most common queries and concerns.

Ongoing Support

As part of the rollout, Mitchells & Butlers had direct access to our technical service team and in-house laboratory for calibrations and maintenance support. This ensured the working life of the food oil monitors was maximised and any issues were resolved immediately. What’s more, our automated calibration reminders and free online Calibration Portal helped Mitchells & Butlers to protect and maintain its new equipment.

How did the new oil monitors benefit Mitchells & Butlers?

Improved Food Quality

One of the ways in which Mitchells & Butlers keeps their standards so high is by scoring their kitchens on food quality. Following the introduction of the food oil monitors, these scores have become more consistent. The new monitors have eliminated the risk of a kitchen cooking with dirty or overused oil. Instead, the team can be certain they are using oil that is within tolerance.

Clarity and Confidence

The food oil monitors have empowered team members to take responsibility for the process of changing oil, with the traffic light system easy for everyone in the kitchen to understand. The monitor has completely taken away the element of human error and also acts as a labour saving device, with team members only changing the oil when it’s necessary as opposed to wasting time on guesswork.

Reduced Oil Usage and Costs

The monitors have helped Mitchells & Butlers to manage the growing cost of oil, as there is no longer the possibility of oil wastage. Team members are also embracing simple practices such as skimming the oil in order to extend its lifespan. Previously, it might have seemed easier to just change the oil, but now it is possible to verify if there is still more life in it.

Introducing the new oil monitors is just one of a number of initiatives implemented by Mitchells & Butlers over the last few years which collectively has resulted in the business being awarded Most Sustainable Pub Business at The Publican Awards in 2023.