Mass with added value? The future of the canteen

In recent years, canteens have developed into much more than just places to eat. Today, they are central meeting places with enormous influence: they provide millions of people with food every day. As a result, they have great potential to promote responsible consumption, creative menus and resource-saving concepts. However, the challenges of implementing sustainable canteen concepts are still great. The following examples from Mercedes-Benz, Community Kitchen & Co. show how better food is possible in out-of-home catering (OOH) - and how canteens can become drivers of a new food culture.

90 % want a healthy and balanced diet in the canteen

One in five people in Germany eat in a canteen at lunchtime. But classic canteen food, such as currywurst, spaghetti bolognese or pizza, has a bad reputation: it has to be quick, tasty and, above all, cheap. There are now approaches that show that things can be done differently. This is because the demands placed on canteens have grown considerably - and continue to rise. This is also confirmed by a Forsa survey: according to this, 90 per cent of consumers attach importance to healthy and wholesome food when visiting a canteen.

Federal government calls for healthy nutrition in the AHV and wants to reduce food waste in canteens

The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) supports this endeavour and developed the ‘Good Food for Germany’ nutrition strategy at the beginning of 2024. It aims to encourage canteens and cafeterias to offer healthier and more organic food and drinks in future. The aim is to use more plant-based products and at the same time less meat, fat and sugar-containing food in the facilities and to reduce food waste. In this context, the Organic Out-of-Home Catering Ordinance (Bio-AHVV) was introduced, which sets out clear guidelines for the use of organic products in canteens, cafeterias and other communal catering facilities. It includes a tiered certification system with bronze, silver and gold seals that make the organic content of the food on offer transparent: Bronze stands for at least 20 % organic, silver for 50 % and gold for 90 %.

The following examples illustrate that a higher-quality and more sustainable diet in out-of-home catering is already feasible today - in addition to organic, food waste avoidance, planetary health and creativity are on the menu.

Organic and Planetary Health Diet in the Mercedes-Benz canteens

At Mercedes-Benz, the topic of healthy and sustainable nutrition is increasingly taking centre stage in the company canteens. Since 2024, Mercedes-Benz Gastronomie GmbH has been successively aligning its food offerings with the scientific guidelines of the Planetary Health Diet (PHD) - the concept for combining nutrition, health and environmental protection - and increasingly adding organic products to the menu.  A highlight in December 2024: once a week for four weeks, participating Mercedes-Benz canteens served a dish from the Tress brothers - 100% organic and with meat as a side dish if desired.

TressBrüder: Quality of the canteen as a flagship

The Tress brothers are pioneers in organic out-of-home catering. Christian Daniel, Simon, Christian and Dominik Tress, the Tress brothers, are pioneers in organic out-of-home catering. Christian Tress sees a rethink in the industry: ‘Many companies are slowly realising that a high-quality canteen makes the difference between attracting employees or not. Organic can be a decisive factor here.’ 

Christian Tress sees the gold, silver and bronze seals introduced by politicians for out-of-home catering as an important impulse, but regrets that the gold seal is already awarded for 90% organic: ‘We have always stood for 100% organic.’ It is particularly important to support companies with clear steps in the transformation. ‘The start should be sustainable, ideally with local supply chains,’ advises Simon Tress. The Tress brothers' USP? A flexible cooking box concept: ‘We supply everything that the respective canteen needs, from ready meals and individual components to pre-portioned ingredients,’ explains Simon. The focus is on plant-based nutrition. But: ‘Meat is the side dish for us - that makes it possible to try out organic and vegetarian options without forcing anyone to eat anything!’

The outlook for the future is optimistic: ‘Organic will become established in out-of-home catering, not only because it is better for the planet, but also because it tastes better,’ summarises Simon.

Colourful canteen: diversity and freedom of choice for all Mercedes-Benz employees

Moritz Mack, Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Gastronomie GmbH, explains the reasons for the new catering orientation at Mercedes-Benz: ‘As part of our PHD orientation, we want to offer our guests more dishes with organic ingredients. The certification of our canteens in accordance with the organic out-of-home catering regulations in April 2024 was an important milestone in this regard. This was followed in November 2024 by the canteens at the Untertürkheim plant being awarded the organic AHV logo in bronze.’ Mercedes-Benz is taking a systematic approach and Mack is pursuing a clear strategy: ‘We have been offering a plant-based main course every day since 2021 and want to further increase the proportion of vegan and vegetarian dishes - without banning meat and fish. It's about diversity and freedom of choice for all employees.’ How has the offer been received? Mack is satisfied: ‘Many guests are in favour of our plan to integrate more organic components into the menu. Our aim is to gradually increase the proportion of certified organic food. At the same time, we want to ensure that we cater to every taste.

Approach against food waste: Community Kitchen

The Munich-based Community Kitchen takes a different sustainable approach to community catering by processing leftover food in school canteens. The company works with impressive quantities: ‘We save over 20 tonnes of food every week. This logistical feat makes it difficult to make a clear distinction between organic and conventional food,’ emphasises CEO and founder of Community Kitchen, Günes Seyfarth. The team therefore concentrates on the essentials: Saving resources and using them wisely. Despite the challenges, the proportion of organic food in the kitchen is over 40%.

Creativity is key: making good use of leftover food

The supposed disadvantage of large quantities of food becomes an opportunity in the Community Kitchen: ‘We react spontaneously and creatively as a team. With the expertise of international kitchen staff, the full potential of the rescued food is utilised. Different cultures contribute practical ideas that would otherwise be lost,’ explains Seyfarth. The approach is to design the plate in such a way that it offers guests different components - crispy, saucy, mousse-like and chunky. This keeps the kitchen flexible and surprises guests with a variety of dishes.

Participatory projects with the younger generation

The Community Kitchen is particularly committed to the younger generation. In daycare centres and schools, children learn to consciously experience food through good community catering. They learn the value of resources, craftsmanship and self-efficacy - qualities that are becoming increasingly rare in a world of fast food and convenience trends. ‘One current project is the ‘Handbook for participatory cooking in school canteens’, which will be published soon. It shows how pupils can be actively involved in the work of the canteen. Such an approach not only promotes healthy eating behaviour, but also raises awareness of food and nutrition,’ says the food saver.

But what will out-of-home catering look like in ten years' time? For Seyfarth, the answer is clear: ‘Without a political vision, out-of-home catering is in danger of stagnating at its current level - cheap, filling and convenient. A real transformation requires fair prices for farmers and kitchens, spaces that invite people to linger and enjoy, and a new understanding of community when eating out.

Organic in the Hipp canteen: experiences and perspectives

Hipp is a pioneer when it comes to organic food, including in out-of-home catering. ‘Our company catering in Pfaffenhofen has been certified organic since 2003,’ reports Stefan Hipp, Managing Partner of the Hipp Group. The switch was an obvious one, but dialogue with employees played a key role in creating acceptance for the organic versions of classic products such as Leberkäse and pretzels. The company was awarded the AHV Gold Seal at BIOFACH 2024. ‘The process not only brings us transparency, but also makes our day-to-day work easier thanks to less bureaucracy for the EU organic standard,’ says Hipp. The criteria were easily met, as organic is an integral part of the philosophy anyway. Hipp advises companies to take a step-by-step approach and initially convert readily available product groups such as fruit, vegetables or dried goods to organic. ‘This creates trust and ensures regional availability.’ It is also important to inform employees about the positive effects of organic - from climate protection to biodiversity.

For the future, Hipp sees out-of-home catering as the key to the nutritional turnaround. With resource-saving measures such as small batches to minimise food waste, the reuse of leftovers the following day and a green waste plant that generates green energy from kitchen waste, Hipp shows how a holistic approach to organic food is possible. ‘Communal catering has huge potential, especially among younger generations. Organic will be a natural standard in ten years' time.’

The canteen as a driver for the food transition

One thing is already clear: the future of out-of-home catering lies in a sustainable, creative and responsible approach to food. Companies such as Hipp, Mercedes-Benz, the Tress brothers and the Community Kitchen show how innovative concepts can integrate organic, planetary health and resource conservation into canteens. Success factors here are clear strategies, participative approaches and the involvement of employees.

While government initiatives such as the AHV label and the ‘Good Food for Germany’ nutrition strategy provide important impetus, practical examples prove that change is possible and economically viable. The combination of organic standards, food waste management and creative menus makes the canteen not just a place of consumption, but a driver of a new food culture.
This means that out-of-home catering has the potential to actively drive forward the nutritional turnaround through innovative measures - with positive effects for health, the environment and future generations.