Nutri-Score was created in 2016 under the aegis of the French public health agency, Santé Publique France, and based on the work of the team of Professor Serge Hercberg, president of the National Nutrition Health Program (PNNS). It meets the strong demand of consumers by providing information that is simple, readable and understandable to help them to choose foods of the best nutritional quality. Already displayed on the packaging of some 200 brands, particularly in supermarkets, Nutri-Score has never been used in the contract catering sector.
For this reason, Elior joined the project led by Professor Serge Hercberg and Doctor Chantal Julia of the Nutritional Epidemiology Research team - within the context of the call for tender launched by the French Ministry of Health and Solidarity – so that it could adapt Nutri-Score labeling for the meals prepared in its kitchens and served in its corporate restaurants. Elior's eagerness to inform its guests of the nutritional value of the meals it serves underscores the Group's pioneering position as a provider of healthy and tasty food.
Nutri-Score is an extremely efficient and useful public health tool which gives everybody access to the nutritional information of all food products. It has been important to extend this labeling system to contract catering so that all diners have access to this information. I am very happy that Elior is involved in carrying out an in-depth study to test the feasibility of extending the Nutri-Score labeling system to collective catering and measure the efficiency of Nutri-Score on food choices.
— Professor Hercberg
Elior is the contract catering leader in France and is also present in Italy, Spain, the UK, the USA and India. Every day, we cater for more than 5 million guests around the world, which is an immense responsibility. This is why we strive to provide all of our guests with the healthiest and most balanced meals possible so that every meal is a moment of pleasure and offers a balanced diet. Because providing transparent information is key to helping our guests make their food choices, Elior aims to deploy Nutri-Score in as many of its kitchens and corporate restaurants in France as possible.
— Philippe Guillemot - CEO of Elior Group
In the coming weeks, Nutri-Score will be tested at two pilot sites. Elior and the teams of Professor Hercberg and Doctor Chantal Julia will assess the Nutri-Score calculation method based on the nutritional information of Elior's recipes. Thereafter, Nutri-Scores will be displayed on every appetizer, main dish and dessert then a series of consumer surveys will be carried out.