Catering Services Migros: Contributing to a 40% CO₂ Reduction with Climate-Friendly Menus
Catering Services Migros, part of the Migros Zurich cooperative, has reduced overall CO₂ emissions by 40% since 2010 through climate-friendly menu lines developed with Eaternity.
Catering Services Migros: Contributing to a 40% CO₂ Reduction with Climate-Friendly Menus
Summary
Catering Services Migros, part of the Migros Zurich cooperative (GMZ), is one of Switzerland's leading providers of community dining. Since 2018, the company has worked with Eaternity to develop and implement climate-friendly menu lines, launched successfully in 2020. These initiatives form part of GMZ's long-term sustainability strategy, which has reduced overall CO₂ emissions by 40% since 2010.
Background
Catering Services Migros represents the community dining division of the Migros Zurich cooperative. With 14 locations across Zurich and Aargau, it serves around 6,000 guests every day. Sustainability has long been embedded in Migros' cooperative identity. From cultural initiatives such as the Migros Culture Percentage to large-scale energy efficiency programs, GMZ consistently strives to create a network that enhances quality of life — economically, ecologically, and socially.
Challenge
Catering Services Migros recognized early that sustainable development in gastronomy requires more than reducing energy use. The largest potential lies in lowering food-related CO₂ emissions. The goal was to offer guests an easy and transparent way to identify climate-friendly meals — based on scientific data, presented attractively, and easy to integrate into everyday dining.
Solution
Since 2018, Catering Services Migros has collaborated with Eaternity. A key milestone was the introduction of the first climate-friendly menu line at Amstein + Walthert's staff restaurant in October 2020. The foundation is Eaternity Gastro, which systematically evaluates recipes according to greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, animal welfare, and rainforest protection. This allows chefs to create dishes that emit at least 50% less CO₂ than conventional meals.
Clear communication ensures visibility: an orange CO₂ cloud marks the climate-friendly meals on the menu, supported by weekly performance summaries for guests.
Impact
- 40% reduction in CO₂ emissions across GMZ since 2010, achieved through a combination of energy efficiency, sustainable sourcing, and climate-friendly menus.
- Strong growth in plant-based and vegetarian meals, with greater emphasis on regional ingredients.
- Climate menus fully integrated into Catering Services Migros's offering.
Overall, GMZ exceeded its original 25% reduction target, achieving a 40% decrease in total CO₂ emissions compared to 2010.
Learnings and Tips
- Plant-based matters: Expanding plant-based offerings delivers the biggest impact.
- Communication counts: Visible climate labels and clear menu markings help guests make sustainable choices with ease.
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