Tips For Running A Green Catering Business

Going green has long evolved beyond being a mere trend, and is now part and parcels of life across a wide range of industry sectors. With more customers demanding sustainability from every company they patronize, bolstering the environmentally friendly credentials of your catering business has never been more valuable.

Cultivate consumer awareness

Whether they fully realize it yet or not, catering businesses and their customers should both be especially concerned about climate change because of the effect it is having on the availability of certain goods. From avocados and coffee to maple syrup and oysters, there are concerns that future generations will not be able to enjoy the same level of variety as we do today.

Being able to promote your business as being ecologically friendly by, for example, sourcing as many of your products as possible from local suppliers, can be enough of a selling point to set you apart from the competition and should be at the heart of your promotional efforts. Local foods, as with organic foodstuffs, can be sold at a premium which should be sufficient to ensure your profit margins are not adversely affected by such your decision.

Make the most of recycling opportunities

Regardless of how far your food has to travel, most catering businesses find themselves dealing with large amount of packaging, such as cardboard trays, foil tins and plastic wrapping. You should already be recycling as much of this material as possible, but if the volume reaches a certain tipping point, it might be worth investing in some machinery, such as a baler, as this will allow you to sell material directly to a recycling plant and boost your income. A baler will also dramatically reduce the amount of space your waste material occupies, cutting down on your traditional waste disposal fees.

A vertical baler is ideal for a small business as it is quick and easy for your staff to operate. When you come to calculate whether your volume of waste makes the purchase of a baler economically sound, remember to factor in the cost of labor, transportation and consumables, though you can usually save on the latter by ordering baling wire direct from a manufacturer.

Consider the vegetarian route

If there is a niche in your local market for a vegetarian catering company, you should strive to fill it. Rearing animals releases considerably more greenhouse gases into the environment, consumes more water and requires larger tracts of lands. By serving vegetarian cuisine, you will be able to appeal to the growing number of environmentally-conscious customers who will check out the credentials of an establishment before they try it out.

Shop according to the season

Change your menu according to whatever seasonal produce is available in your local area. This will dramatically cut down on the costs of transporting goods from overseas or other parts of the country. Reducing the distance between the farm and your kitchen should also ensure the that produce you obtain is always as fresh as possible. Although sticking to a seasonal menu may mean you have to do without some dishes, it can also inspire you to become more creative.