Vermaat Food Vision
At Vermaat, we’re of the opinion that a sustainable future begins at the grass roots – with each one of us. We’re committed to taking care of the environment and we realise that, as a large, continually growing organisation with an extensive network of partners and suppliers, we have an enormous impact on the planet. We therefore intend to focus our efforts on tackling the most important issues in order to take care of each other and the next generation.
Each day, we prepare and serve delicious dishes that have a positive impact on the health of our guests, society and our world. By striving to make targeted improvements at each of our locations on a daily basis, Vermaat will become a steadily more healthy, sustainable and socially responsible hospitality company.
Health
Because we know that healthy food contributes to well-being, we’re committed to providing our guests with a healthier range to choose from. We also create smart restaurant layouts that highlight the healthier options without restricting our guests’ freedom of choice. Where possible we opt for pure products without unnecessary E numbers or other additives. We’re also reducing the amount of salt and refined sugars in our dishes, and we use natural seasonings such as spices, fresh herbs, honey or fruit. And because good fats are essential for excellent health, we prepare our dishes with healthier oils.
Sustainability
One of our goals is to decrease our footprint, so we’re taking action to further improve the sustainability of our business operations and our range. For example, in order to decrease our CO2 emissions, we use seasonal fruits and vegetables grown in the Netherlands for our dishes wherever possible. To reduce waste, we’re focusing on smarter production planning and creative ways of serving and presenting food. We’re transitioning step by step to a plant-based selection of foods, and whenever we do serve meat, we opt for sustainable choices. In addition, we’re working hard to reduce inorganic waste such as plastic and disposables, and we’re implementing circular initiatives in order to close the waste circles as effectively as possible.
Social impact
Food unites. Delicious food is a great way of bringing people to the table and getting the conversation going. To strengthen the uniting factor, we deliberately design our restaurants to foster interaction. However, social impact is about much more than just enjoying food and each other’s company. We feel it’s extremely important for everyone in society to have the opportunity to do interesting, fulfilling work, and that naturally includes people for whom the labour market is less accessible. We’re also keenly aware of the added value that diversity brings, which is why our hospitality teams are composed of people from different cultural and culinary backgrounds. We make the same positive social choices further afield. For example, we aim to achieve a transparent food chain so that you know exactly where our food comes from and how it has come to us. We also stand for a balanced and fair food chain in which everyone involved can earn a living wage.