Organic in out-of-home catering: Great potential for overcoming major challenges
There is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to organic food in German restaurants, canteens and cafeterias. At the same time, half the German population believes that out-of-home catering does not offer enough organic dishes. So why not simply set to work? BIOFACH spoke to Dr Marisa Hübner, a doctor of internal medicine and shaper of transformation in the field of communal catering.
Out-of-home catering shapes food culture
“Out-of-home catering has great potential to bring healthy, delicious and planet-friendly food to the wider community and promote a sustainable food culture,” explains Dr Marisa Hübner, who has been campaigning for a change in nutrition in community catering for 1½ years as part of Farm-Food-Climate, an initiative of the non-profit organization ProjectTogether. “For me, the key questions are: What does it take for healthy, sustainable and tasty food to become the standard in all out-of-home catering facilities? How can the various players in the system be motivated and empowered to actively help shape this transformation?”
Turning political upheaval into an opportunity
Out-of-home catering has become the focus of food policy in recent years, as it is seen as a significant lever for social nutrition education and the organic transformation of agriculture (to reach 30 percent by 2030). Hübner also sees this momentum as an opportunity: “Community catering is gaining new political and social attention and growing in importance, while at the same time it is under great pressure to change. There is therefore movement both politically and in the industry, which we must use to take action together,” she explains.
In October 2023, the BMEL’s new Organic Out-of-Home Catering Ordinance (Bio-Ausser-Haus-Verpflegung-Verordnung, Bio-AHVV) came into force. The amendment to the law is intended to simplify the use of organic products in OOH and make them visible through the use of bronze, silver or gold seals which will reflect the organic share of net goods purchases in stages starting at 20 percent. “At the moment, the proportion of organic food in communal catering is in the low single-digit range,” Hübner observes. “I think the idea of rewarding those who use organic food with a kind of medal makes sense. A figure of 20 percent organic is usually feasible without major cost increases. At the same time I see that the topic of organic food tends to fall by the wayside, especially in times of multiple and sometimes ideological crises. It could therefore be more effective not to view and communicate the topic in isolation, but as part of a comprehensive transformation that aims to achieve future viability and thus also economic efficiency and resilience, by methods such as reducing food waste, using more plant-based foods and practising seasonal purchasing.”
Changes in guest requirements
A mood of change can also be observed among guests. According to the 2024 BMEL Nutrition Report, 50 percent of survey respondents believe that too little organic food is offered in restaurants and canteens. Added to this are the demands of different, changing target groups.
Hübner explains: “Until now, canteen food was supposed to be one thing above all: tasty and cheap. Today, dimensions such as personal health and preferences, environmental protection, transparency, connectivity and flexibility are also part of the mix. The emphasis varies depending on the sector: care, education or business. In corporate catering, I can already see that canteens are becoming flagships for companies. Good, healthy food, subsidized at a low price, is worthwhile for employee loyalty and health as well as for the sustainability balance sheet. Socially, we have not yet done the maths. In daycare centres, schools, hospitals and care and nursing homes, catering is still primarily about price. However, it is precisely here that more importance needs to be attached to health and organic aspects, and affordability and accessibility for all must be ensured. Policy-makers have the backing of society here, as the recommendations of the Citizens’ Council ‘Ernährung im Wandel (Nutrition in Transition)’ show.”
Comprehensive approach to organic transformation
But however great the industry’s potential, the challenges are just as great. “Out-of-home catering is currently being ‘eaten up’ by many problems,” Hübner confirms. She notes that these include the burdens of higher VAT, price increases for energy and food, unstable supply chains, New Work and digitalization. The increasing shortage of labour and skilled workers as well as greater price sensitivity among guests are further complicating factors. Hübner adds: “The availability of organic food is also still a hurdle. Regional organic products in the (pre-processed) quality that many businesses in Germany need are not yet sufficiently available, for example, and the appropriate infrastructure must first be created.”
Despite all the hurdles, Hübner is optimistic about the future: “We have all the knowledge and opportunities to achieve this transformation, we just have to want to do it and then do it.” In her view, this requires a new mindset: “We are still spending too much energy clinging to an outdated status quo and discussing what is not possible. We now have a unique opportunity to actively shape our culinary future, together, creatively, innovatively, holistically, with an awareness of tradition and a global mindset.”
Creativity and examples of good practice needed
Hübner has a clear idea of how this change can succeed: “Many examples from all sectors show that out-of-home catering already has the opportunity to achieve healthy and sustainable eating. One key lever is to curate and present foods in a different way. I remember an example from the joint project “NAHGAST” (Nachhaltiges Produzieren und Konsumieren in der Ausser-Haus-Gastronomie, Sustainable Production and Consumption in Out-of-Home Catering), in which the classic meatball dish Königsberger Klops was transformed into a health-promoting “Klimaklops” (“Climate meatballs”) without compromising on flavour, by using less meat and more green spelt. Using more strongly plant-based recipes can often save money, leaving more budget for better product quality and organic products. Buying differently, cooking differently, accompanying and enticing diners toward a ‘new normal’ – it’s something everyone can start doing today.”
The “Kantine Zukunft” (“Canteen Future”) project from Berlin has also proven in many establishments that it is possible to implement healthy and delicious food with a high organic content in a price-neutral way by providing practical advice and support at a collegial level. Further flagship projects for increasing the proportion of organic food in out-of-home catering.
Hübner emphasises: “For these examples to be successfully implemented on a broad scale, there needs to be a change in people’s minds, and in their pots and pans. The people in kitchens and behind serving counters are the makers of change that we need to win over, motivate and empower. In my opinion, role models and examples of good practice are essential. We need people who set an example and show others how it can be done. We need pioneers who are passionate about the topic and whose positive energy, motivation and knowledge are passed on to others. And we need more and more visible formats in which we can engage in constructive dialogue and actual implementation together with other players in the system, from fields such as retail, agriculture, politics, administration and society in general. After all, one thing is clear: We can only achieve the major task of transforming nutrition in out-of-home catering by working together.”
