Company: Hilton Hotels APAC
Customer: Abdel El-Ayoubi, Senior Manager of Safety & Security for Hilton across Australasia, Japan, Korea, and Micronesia
Location: Australasia, Japan, Korea, and Micronesia
Number of sites: 70+ hotel locations
Industry: Hotel Group
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"Having a sensor in one of the fridges actually saved the hotel, $23,000 in what would have been lost stock."
Hilton Hotels APAC partnered with Safe Food Pro to digitise food safety across 70 managed sites. By replacing manual paper logs with automated monitoring and real-time reporting, Hilton has raised the bar for HACCP compliance, saved thousands in stock loss, and streamlined regulatory audits across 13 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
For Abdel El-Ayoubi, Senior Manager of Safety & Security for Hilton across Australasia, Japan, Korea, and Micronesia, managing food safety was once a paper-heavy marathon. With nearly 98% of the estate relying on manual logs, the limitations were clear.
"As part of my role, I do quite a lot of audits," Abdel explains. "I would see the same signature for 65 days straight, on the same piece of paper with the same ink. You have to ask, is that really getting done?"
Beyond the lack of accountability, the geographical spread presented a logistical hurdle. With 70 hotels across 13 countries, Hilton needed a solution that offered top-down visibility without requiring a physical presence in every kitchen. They required a partner that understood the local landscape, offered flexible regional support, and could handle the complexity of varied international regulations.
After trialling Safe Food Pro alongside other food safety solutions, the choice for Hilton’s APAC region was clear. The decision boiled down to having a regional presence and a relationship-driven service.
While software needs to be robust, Abdel emphasises that the human element is what truly drives success across diverse regions.
Safe Food Pro provided a dedicated team within the same time zones, ensuring training and support happened during Hilton’s business hours, not in the middle of a dinner service.
The transition to Safe Food Pro has delivered immediate operational dividends. For Abdel, the biggest win is getting time back. Instead of spending hours sifting through physical folders during hotel visits, he can now review compliance data remotely or in transit so he is prepared when he arrives at the hotel.
The value of automated monitoring was proven at a Hilton location. When a fridge failed overnight, Safe Food Pro’s automated sensors triggered an immediate notification. The night team responded instantly, moving high-risk stock and saving the hotel approximately $23,000 in potential food waste.
"Having a sensor in one of the fridges actually saved the hotel $23,000 in what would have been lost stock. Because they got a Safe Food Pro notification that the fridge was out of range. The night team were able to go in and shift all that food, including the higher risk foods so that they could be safely stored." says Abdel.
The system has been a resounding success with local authorities. During a recent audit at their hotels in New South Wales and Queensland, the City Council’s were over the moon with the digital documentation.
"When chefs are fiddling through manuals to find things, councils take their time," says Abdel. "We just sat down and showed them everything on one screen. They were very satisfied with the high level of compliance."
Hilton found that their younger generation of chefs and kitchen staff much preferred tablets over pens. By leaning into this digital-first culture, Hilton has seen higher engagement levels, making the goal of reaching 80% digital adoption across the region by 2027 highly achievable.
In a high-stakes hotel environment, manual temperature checks are often the first process to slip during a busy dinner service. For Hilton, the introduction of Safe Food Pro’s hardware suite, including automated sensors and smart hubs has been a game-changer.
Abdel notes that while chefs can sometimes be apprehensive about new technology, the simplicity of the installation wins them over. By involving IT teams early, Hilton found that the hubs, equipped with provided SIM cards, were essentially plug-and-play.
"Who doesn't love putting that temperature probe in an item and it automatically loading in your system? It's awesome. It's real time reporting sensors in your fridges when you look at them. You're seeing the fluctuation in temperature if a fridge is left open for an extended period of time. So you're getting to see all that live and you're getting a notification if that fridge breaks down." says Abdel.
One of the standout reasons Hilton chose Safe Food Pro was our willingness to listen and adapt. The product continues to evolve based on their specific operational needs.
"There is always innovation coming on, new things, different things," says Abdel. Whether it is navigating complex shipping regulations for hardware into countries like Indonesia or Papua New Guinea, or refining the user interface for younger, tech-savvy team members, our agile approach means the software grows alongside Hilton’s portfolio.
Hilton is now incorporating Safe Food Pro into their packs for all new hotel openings. By integrating digital food safety from day one, Hilton ensures that every new kitchen in the network starts with the highest standards of accountability and efficiency.
"Does it work? Yes, of course it does. I’m a testament to that. It’s not only saving the hotel time; it’s giving me time back to focus on training and safety simulations rather than documentation." says Abdel.
Safe Food Pro does not provide food safety or compliance advice. This guide has been provided for information purposes only. You should consult your own professional food safety advisors for advice directly relating to your company or before taking action in relation to any of the content provided.
Ready to eliminate the "paperwork headache" and gain total visibility over your food safety operations? Join the world’s leading hotel groups and experience the Safe Food Pro difference.
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