Two Novae restaurants are taking part
This year, we are delighted to be participating in the “À Table!” competition again, an event dedicated to promoting sustainable food and organised by the City of Geneva and its partners.
Running from 23 September to 20 October 2024, “À Table” showcases restaurants that take eco-friendly and health-friendly approaches, in line with the objectives in the Cantonal Climate Plan and Geneva Climate Strategy.
Sustainable food: a lever for a greener tomorrow
We firmly believe that food plays a fundamental role in reducing our environmental impact, and we launched our “Sustainable Food” activities for schools as far back as 2021 to raise awareness of this critical issue among young people. In October 2022, we broke new ground by releasing our Eco Toquelabel, an ambitious programme aimed at fostering a more sustainable offering and supporting consumers as they transition to more responsible eating habits.
It therefore makes perfect sense that we are taking part in the “À Table!” competition. We hope this initiative will raise awareness among the public, while highlighting practices that support short supply chains, promote local agriculture and reduce our carbon footprint.
This year, two of our restaurants are taking part in the competition.
The event is another opportunity for us to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability. Throughout the four weeks of the competition, we have decided to structure our activity and communications around four major themes: reducing food waste (zero waste), using local products, highlighting seasonal products, and promoting vegetarian dishes.
Our sustainability levers at the heart of the “À Table!” competition
Throughout the competition, we will highlight these four essential themes through tangible actions and exclusive recipes in our restaurants.
1. Zero waste
Did you know that 25% of the environmental impact of food in Switzerland is down to food waste? In Switzerland, this waste represents 2.8 million tonnes of food per year, or 330 kg per person!
At Novae, we are taking steps to bring this figure down:
- We regularly weigh our food waste to identify areas for improvement.
- We make use of leftovers in other dishes.
- We adapt our services to avoid waste, especially on weekends.
- We sell any remaining dishes to take away at 50% off through our “NoGaspi” concept.
Tip: Discover practical food storage tips on the savefood.ch website to reduce waste at home.
2. Shop local
Minimising the distances food travels is key to reducing our environmental footprint. In Switzerland, 50% of food is imported.
In our restaurants, we choose to support local producers:
- We work directly with farming families, without any middlemen.
- Our fresh products, such as meat, fruits and vegetables, and dairy products, mainly come from Switzerland. We favour producers located within a 70 km radius of our restaurants.
3. Choose seasonal fruits and vegetables
Eating out-of-season fruits and vegetables leads to a greater environmental impact, due to the need to heat greenhouses and the long transportation distances.
- For the products we use, we respect the rhythm of Europe’s seasons, including when it comes to fruits like kiwi and avocado.
- Our kitchen teams are trained to make the most of winter vegetables so they can serve up tasty dishes all year round.
4. Pick the vegetarian option
On average, a vegetarian dish has three times less impact on the climate than meat-based (WWF Switzerland). The production of feed for livestock uses up farmland and generates greenhouse gas emissions. What’s more, livestock ruminants emit methane.
- In our restaurants, we offer tasty, balanced vegetarian options as a matter of course.
- We select high-quality meat exclusively from Switzerland or France.
Let’s get our consumers involved in the “À Table!” competition
Each week, one of the four themes above will take centre stage. Join us on a culinary journey through the principles of sustainable eating. A special loyalty card has been created for the competition: when you participate in all four themes, you will be eligible for our draw – with the chance to win a basket of local products. Because change starts with you!
Novae is committed to environmentally friendly collective catering day in, day out. Head to our blog for recipes and to discover what we’re doing. Don’t want to miss a thing? Follow our news on social networks and subscribe to our newsletter!