On the occasion of the International Agricultural Fair which brings together all the professionals in the industry in France, Elior, in tandem with FNAB and MBIM, undertook to renew, on a permanent basis, the partnership they entered into in 2009, in favour of supplying locally-grown organic produce.

After a collaboration of more than 5 years, Elior has seen a hike of almost 50% in purchase volumes and increased referencing on the platforms of organic food producers (the majority of whom are federated within the MBIM). The Group is now seeking to expand its policy of supplying locally-grown organic produce in France.

This improvement approach will enable Elior to consolidate its existing agreements between Group caterers and local producers and continue to expand its supply-network so that locally-grown organic produce can be available in all the regions of France.

• Offer organic food that has been produced in total respect of the environment.  
• Give priority to locally-grown organic produce that is in season and which allows the setting up of local branches.
• Make quality food products available to the greatest possible number of people.
• Work transparently by involving regional stakeholders.

This approach is in keeping with the Group's responsible purchasing policy to enhance the importance of locally-grown organic produce and contribute in a durable manner to the economic development of the regions. 

As such, thanks to the referencing of organic food-producer platforms, Elior restaurants in the corporate, education, health, and travel & leisure sectors are able to offer the widest choice on the market, and therefore meet consumer demand for locally-grown, eco-friendly produce.

In line with work already undertaken, this improvement approach will commit Elior to:

• Step up the referencing of products proposed by organic-food producer platforms with a view to achieving nationwide coverage.
• Contribute to the structuring of the FNAB and MBIM networks, by informing their subscribers of the local-supply opportunities open to them at Elior.
• Provide visibility for the FNAB and MBIM networks within the Group, by informing Elior's catering outlets of the availability of local organic products. 

For FNAB and MBIM this improvement approach will help to:

• Boost the quantity of organic products used in Elior’s catering outlets.
• Raise the awareness of employees and diners alike to the specific benefits of organic food and organic agriculture, through visits to key agricultural sites and information meetings.

Elior has been a committed promoter of organic agriculture since 2001. As such, Group restaurants now have access to more than 2, 600 organic product references and almost 11,000 local producers.

“The signing of this charter consolidates the commitment, which Elior has been developing over a number of years now with FNAB and MBIM, to prioritise locally-grown organic products in the collective catering segment. This partnership will enable us to meet the strong demand from our clients for food products that are both organic and locally-grown”, declared Sophie Leymengergie, Director of Quality and Safety at Elior.