Nachhaltigkeit

Sustainability and climate neutrality are becoming increasingly important in catering. Major environmental impacts arise from food waste, strict hygiene regulations and the frequent use of individual packaging. However, the growing awareness among service providers is leading to ever more sustainable solutions being developed. The Federal Ministry of Food aims to halve food waste at retail and consumer level by 2030.

Food waste: causes and consequences

One of the most serious problems is the oversupply at buffets:

• More than 18% of the food is not consumed.
• Reserves of 10–12% mean that up to 30% of the food has to be thrown away.
• At large events such as trade fairs and congresses, around 250 kg of waste is generated per 1,000 participants.

In Germany, around 12 million tonnes of food waste are generated each year, 52% of it in private households. Carbon footprints show considerable differences between foods: beef has a significantly higher carbon footprint than many plant-based alternatives.

Packaging waste due to hygiene regulations

Strict hygiene regulations frequently require individual packaging, which generates considerable single-use waste. Plastic residues from non-reusable packaging increase the environmental burden. A more environmentally friendly alternative is the use of reusable packaging.

Strategies for sustainable catering

Key approaches to greater sustainability are:

• Reducing single-use waste through reusable packaging
• Efficient planning to reduce food waste
• Promoting vegan and vegetarian options to lower the consumption of animal products
• Using regional and seasonal ingredients to shorten transport routes
• Carbon accounting and offsetting through environmentally friendly projects
• Energy-efficient appliances and ecological cleaning products
• Transparent communication about sustainable practices

Sustainability with egora

egora integrates these strategies and offers a wide range of sustainable menu options featuring regional and seasonal ingredients, in order to minimise transport routes and support the local economy. Annual carbon accounting and offsetting through environmentally friendly projects further reduce the ecological footprint.