The Tastiest Challenge on the Planet https://thesra.org/thetastiestchallenge/ The Tastiest Challenge on the Planet The Tastiest Challenge on the Planet EVENTS THAT SHAPED THE YEAR THE TASTIEST CHALLENGE 2018 THE SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANT Sections of the foodservice sector have woken up to the realisation that what we THE REPORT JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH ASSOCIATION IS CALLING ON THE grow, rear, farm, cook and eat has a massive • Dozens of businesses ditch • 57 of the world’s largest • SRA launches One Planet impact on the planet. As an industry with plastic straws in response to investors call on global Plate campaign WHOLE FOODSERVICE SECTOR higher carbon emissions than Costa Rica, it’s Blue Planet II food brands to move • Sign-ups to Veganuary away from reliance on not before time. increased by 183% to animal proteins TO TAKE ON THE TASTIEST 168,000 When thinking about the impact humans • UK Government publishes CHALLENGE ON THE PLANET. 25 Year Environment Plan have on the environment, people regularly with a vision to improve UK think about the car they drive or the plane resource efficiency they take, or maybe the energy they use to MEAT heat a home. Yet the biggest single impact is APRIL MAY JUNE caused by the food we eat. • WRAP launches Plastic • Oxford University • SRA launches Unwrapping Pact1 publishes report Plastic toolkit The whole sector needs to act now to • Costa pledges to recycle recommending reducing avert a climate catastrophe. By focusing on half a billion cups meat and dairy as most action, operators can answer consumers’ • Just Eat announces effective way to reduce discounts on low carbon impact on planet desire for more sustainable menus while delivery vehicles for also significantly reducing their emissions. restaurant partners The time is right to work even more closely as a group of like-minded businesses to achieve more change. We are in a unique moment in history. The case for action has FOOD WASTE never been stronger; the messages on what JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER actions to take have never been clearer; and • McDonald’s and Starbucks • SRA helps Shambala • World Resources Institute diners have never been so keen to embrace partner on NextGen Cup become the first major launches Cool Food Consortium to create UK festival to offer a Pledge2 change, behaving more like citizens and less recyclable, compostable reusable plate service like consumers. Our combined buying power, cup globally commitment to greater resource efficiency and enormous influence have staggering potential. PLASTIC OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER • UK Government announces • UK named 24th in global • Government publishes THAT MEANS EVERY FOODSERVICE BUSINESS IN THE UK ACCEPTING OUR ban on plastic straws and food sustainability Resources and Waste stirrers league table compiled by Strategy4 including CHALLENGE TO IMPLEMENT AND ACHIEVE THE TARGETS OUTLINED IN THIS • IPCC3 publishes report calling Economist Intelligence plans for bottle return for urgent action to keep Unit and the Barilla scheme and key waste REPORT: TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF THE MEALS THEY SERVE BY REDUCING temperature rise below 1.5C Centre for Food and measurement targets • Food Made Good Awards Nutrition Foundation recognise the UK’s leading THE VOLUME OF MEAT ON THE MENU, FOOD IN THE BIN AND SINGLE-USE sustainable foodservice businesses PLASTIC AND PACKAGING IN THEIR OPERATION. JOIN US! CONCLUSION 2 3 The Tastiest Challenge on the Planet The Tastiest Challenge on the Planet WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS REPORT SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION This is a report about the state of In addition to this exclusive peak inside the Since 2010, the SRA has been supporting the foodservice sustainability in the UK foodservice sector backdoor of more than 6,700 commercial sector to tackle the complex and urgent problems facing THE REPORT – a review of what operators have done kitchens, we’ve also consulted the leaders the food system. in 2018, an assessment of the pressing of some of Britain’s best-known and most challenges ahead, it’s preparedness for influential hospitality businesses as well as With more than 7,500 member sites, from fine-dining, tackling them, and an action plan for the a handful of influential chefs. How do they Michelin star restaurants to some of the UK’s largest industry for 2019 and beyond. see their role in fixing the food system? and most popular high street chains, independent gastro Where does sustainability sit among their pubs, workplace and university caterers, and cafés, we A review of all the Food Made Good priorities for the year ahead and what’s work across the whole foodservice sector to accelerate Sustainability Ratings conducted in holding them back from going further on change towards a hospitality sector that is socially 2018 forms one key element of this report. the big issues? progressive and environmentally restorative. Our Food It provides a fascinating set of data across Made Good Sustainability Rating, the most holistic and MEAT all aspects of a foodservice business’ For the job of defining the actions we in-depth assessment of a business’ operation, provides a operation, such as the proportion of need to take in the months and years unique, in-depth insight into both individual kitchens and meat vs veg dishes on menus, the most ahead, we’ve called on the expertise of a the wider progress of the sector. widely used techniques to reduce food Nobel Prize-winning climate scientist, two waste and the percentage of operators food policy experts and an adviser to the OUR BOARD offering plastic bottles. Government, who also happens to have founded one of the most successful (and sustainable) grab and go chains of the last decade. By bringing all of these elements together RAYMOND BLANC OBE PRUE LEITH MARK SAINSBURY GILES GIBBONS our aim is to produce a report which not President Vice President FOOD WASTE only reveals the progress of the industry, but also sets out the essential and urgent sustainability priorities and reports directly from the boardrooms and passes of major companies and restaurants on the preparedness of the industry to tackle this, the tastiest challenge on the planet. SIMON HEPPNER AMELIA TWINE JALE ERENTOK IQBAL WAHHAB CONTRIBUTORS PLASTIC ANDREW STEPHEN JULIANE CAILLOUETTE NOBLE CEO Development Director YLVA JOHANNESSON JADE BRENNAN-SIEGERT Head of Membership Head of Marketing CONCLUSION 4 5 The Tastiest Challenge on the Planet The Tastiest Challenge on the Planet CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS REPORT CHEFS ACADEMICS & POLICY MAKERS THE REPORT NICK BALFE RAYMOND BLANC OBE HENRY DIMBLEBY PROFESSOR TIM LANG Chef Director, Salon and Chef Patron of Belmond Le Founder of Leon and a Professor of Food Policy Levan Manoir aux Quat’Saisons Non-Exec Board Member at City, University of After working at Clove Club, and President of the SRA of Defra London Lyle’s and Brunswick House Raymond Blanc OBE, is Henry Dimbleby is co- Tim Lang has been Nicholas has run his own chef patron of Belmond Le founder of Leon Restaurants, Professor of Food restaurant, Salon, in Brixton Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and currently the lead Policy at City University Market and in 2018 opened and founder of Brasserie Non-Executive Director London Centre for Food Levan in Peckham. Blanc restaurants, and has at the Department for Policy since 2002 which been President of the SRA Environment, Food, and founded the Centre MEAT since 2012. Rural Affairs. in 1994. JOEL BRAHAM HUGH FEARNLEY-WHITTINGSTALL WILL NICHOLSON PROFESSOR RICCARDO VALENTINI Founder, The Good Egg Founder, River Cottage The Food Climate Advisory Board Member Joel Braham is co-founder Hugh is a multi-award- Research Network and of the Barilla Centre for of The Good Egg, with two winning writer and Food Foundation Food and Nutrition sites in north and central broadcaster known for Will leads the “Plating Professor Riccardo London, and a menu focused his uncompromising Up Progress” project, a Valentini won the 2007 on high quality ingredients commitment to seasonal, collaboration between the Nobel Peace Prize for sourced from sustainable ethically produced food Food Foundation and Food his role as a member of and ethical producers. and his concern for the Climate Research Network. the Intergovernmental environment. Panel on Climate Change and is an advisory board member of the Barilla Centre for Food and FOOD WASTE SKYE GYNGELL Nutrition. Founder, Spring BUSINESS LEADERS Skye opened Spring in London’s Somerset House in 2014, following successful ROBIN CLARK JOHN HUTSON KAREN LYNCH spells at Petersham Director of Business CEO, JD Wetherspoon CEO, Belu Nurseries and the French Partnerships and Restaurant John Hutson joined JD Karen Lynch has been House. Services, Just Eat Wetherspoon in 1991, CEO of social enterprise, Robin is responsible for became Managing Belu Water, since 2011, developing products and Director in 1998 and has having previously services to ensure the 30,000+ been Chief Executive pursued a corporate UK restaurant partners get since 2004. career including Emap plc and Barclays. even more out of their PLASTIC relationship with Just Eat and run their operations more sustainably and efficiently JASON COTTA STEVE HOLMES BILL TONER EMMA WOODS Managing Director, Costa Chief Executive of CEO, CH&Co CEO, wagamama Coffee UK & Ireland Azzurri Group Bill Toner has been CEO of Emma Woods became Jason Cotta is the Managing Steve was appointed Chief CH&Co Group since it was CEO of wagamama in Director of Costa Coffee Executive Officer of the formed by the merger of 2018, having joined as UK&I having joined the Azzurri Group in January HCM and CH&Co in 2015. Chief Growth Officer in company as Operations 2015, prior to which he was 2017. A marketeer by Director in 2010. Chief Executive Officer of trade, Emma has 30 years ASK Italian & Zizzi.