News

In trying to keep its workforce motivated, efficient, happy and productive -- as well as to recruit and retain talent -- an increasing number of companies are viewing high-quality employee meals as a crucial perk.

There's no shortage of inspiration on the walls of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Now, the same can be said of the plate.

CEO Fedele Bauccio has been named 2011's Sustainability Pathfinder by Chefs Collaborative, the country's top professional organization dedicated to a more sustainable, local, and delicious food system. A panel of 21 culinary leaders selected him for this prestigious award, which honors efforts beyond the kitchen.

Long known for its ethical sourcing and more recently for its support of farmworkers, Bon Appétit has just supplied Fair Trade Certified™ shirts to student employees through a pilot program in two of its university cafés. The new commitment was timed to honor Fair Trade Month in October.

Bon Appétit Management Company is proud to have been recognized by the 2011 Cruz Reynoso-Ralph Abascal Don Quixote Award from California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (CRLA) for our efforts to shine a light on the unfair treatment of the workers who harvest this country’s food.

On Tuesday, September 27, all our chefs at more than 400 locations in 31 states will cook a meal from 100% local ingredients. When we launched our first Eat Local Challenge in 2005, “local food” was a novelty, not a national movement. The reasons to eat food grown by small, local farms remain the same as when we started – because it tastes better, is more nutritious, encourages biodiversity, preserves open space, and protects the environment, to name just a few. However, like our chefs, we’ve learned some important lessons in the years we’ve been going loco for local

Bon Appétit Management Company, the socially and environmentally responsible food services company, announced today that it is adding an important new category to its landmark local-sourcing program, Farm to Fork. Launched in 1999, Farm to Fork now draws from over a thousand small farms and artisans to supply Bon Appétit’s 400-plus cafés in 31 states. The company will extend the program to mid-size poultry and hog farms, cattle ranches, and dairies that meet its stringent criteria. By doing so, it will nourish this critically endangered segment of agriculture known as the “disappearing middle.” And by requiring third-party humane certification, Bon Appétit also hopes to increase the supply of ethically raised meat and poultry, which has not kept up with demand as the meat industry consolidates under ever-more-massive factory farms.

Bon Appétit Management Company today announced a breakthrough in sustainable seafood sourcing with Fish to Fork, a program that outlines what “local” and “small-scale” means for both wild and farmed seafood and elevates certain overlooked species that have both great flavor and robust supplies.

In three sessions, titled Meet, Movement, and Money, the independently organized event, licensed by TED, will provide a 360-degree view of farmworkers today and throughout history; compare labor’s progress with other social justice movements; and end with a discussion of fair labor practices from a business standpoint.