Gemba Walk in the Food Industry: How Companies Uncover Hidden Potential in a Single Day

The Gemba Walk is a proven method derived from Lean management. It involves managers or consultants visiting the “real place“—specifically, the area where value is created and resources are consumed simultaneously. The goal is to observe actual workflows, make waste visible, and uncover opportunities for improvement in collaboration with employees.

Foodways Adopts the Gemba Walk

Our colleague Sonja Maurer introduced us to this method at an open conference, and it immediately became clear: this is exactly what we are already doing in many of our projects.

For years, we have been working directly on-site—in kitchens, on production lines, and within logistics processes—as part of our food waste management initiatives and work with processing facilities. Being close to day-to-day operations allows us to quickly identify where food waste occurs and determine how processes can be made leaner, more efficient, and more robust.
By adopting the Gemba Walk, we have now incorporated this implicit expertise into our portfolio as a clearly structured consulting module.

The fastest way to make potential visible – and initiate effective measures
The Gemba walk enables an external, neutral view of production processes – and that is precisely what delivers measurable added value:

• Quickly identify areas for improvement
• Make waste and bottlenecks visible
• Involve employees and leverage their knowledge
• Increase resource efficiency – particularly regarding energy, water, raw materials, and time
• Establish a foundation for concrete Lean measures and action plans

The result: realistic assessments, prioritized measures, and solutions that can be implemented immediately.

How a Gemba Walk works

We follow a clear process—analogous to our Lean-oriented service structure:

1. Preparation

• Preliminary discussions
• Analysis of production processes, floor plan, and material flow
• Review of product range lists
• Scheduling

2. Kick-off / Training

• Introduction to methodology and process
• Joint clarification of expectations
• Engaging employees

3. Gemba Walk – the on-site visit

• Experience real-world processes: production, material flow, quality
• Identify risks, waste, and bottlenecks
• Involve employees and tap into their knowledge

4. Follow-up & Output

• Brief report on the current state
• Potential analysis & prioritized recommendations
• Basis for Lean activities & a practical action plan

From Tacit Knowledge to Structured Service

For years, we have supported and optimized value-creation processes with clients in the hospitality and food processing sectors. The Gemba Walk consolidates this experience into a systematic tool that enables us to:

• Reduce food waste
• Use resources more efficiently
• Make processes more robust and transparent
• Strengthen a lean culture within the company

This offers companies an effective tool for sustainable change—regardless of size or type of operation.

Why a Gemba Walk is worthwhile

The Gemba Walk is an indispensable tool for companies looking to better understand their processes while simultaneously reducing resources, costs, and food waste. Through direct observation and a structured approach, we help identify hidden potential and develop concrete, immediately actionable solutions.

Would you like to learn how a Gemba Walk can advance your business?
Our expert, Sonja Maurer, looks forward to hearing from you.

Ihre Ansprechpartnerin: Sonja Maurer

Sonja Maurer ist Ihre Ansprechpartnerin, wenn es darum geht, Prozesse in der Lebensmittelbranche nachhaltiger zu gestalten. Als Consultant bei Foodways unterstützt sie Unternehmen dabei, ökologisch wirksame und wirtschaftlich tragfähige Lösungen zu entwickeln – mit systemischem Blick und praxisnaher Umsetzungsstärke.

Was sie auszeichnet: Sie kennt die Branche aus erster Hand: Als frühere Produktmanagerin bei HelloFresh Schweiz verantwortete sie Sortimente, Prozesse und Produktentwicklungen. Mit ihrem Hintergrund als Lebensmittelingenieurin bringt sie ein tiefes Verständnis für Produktionsabläufe und Qualitätsanforderungen mit – die ideale Basis für nachhaltige Transformation im Betrieb.

Sie möchten den Wandel aktiv gestalten? Sonja Mauer unterstützt Sie gerne mit Ihrem Fachwissen.

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