Scandic Hotels Brochure 2018 by FDF World

Scandic Hotels Norway: transforming sustainability through technology

Photo ÂŠ Hotel Norge by Scandic / Francisco Munoz

Digital transformation for sustainability, health and the guest experience WRIT TEN BY

SE AN GA LE A-PACE PRODUCED BY

BROGAN BAGGOT T

Photo Â© Scandic Hotels

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Director of Food & Beverage at Scandic Hotels Norway, Morten Malting, discusses how Scandic Hotels is embracing digital to eliminate waste and operate more sustainably

hen it comes to breakfast, there are few hotels that know more about achieving continuous success than Scandic Hotels

in Norway. With the hotel chain having consistently won the prestigious Twinings Best Breakfast competition, including 12 victories out of the last 14 awards 04

at its Scandic Nidelven hotel, it’s clear Scandic is revolutionising the way it provides breakfast. “Unique for the Scandinavian hotel market, a rich and varied breakfast buffet is usually included in the room price. As a consequence, providing the best breakfast offering is a key factor in order to attract new guests and keeping existing guests loyal. What better way to do so by offering hotel guests the very best breakfast?” asks Morten Malting, Director of Food & Beverage of Scandic’s Norwegian operations. In order to achieve this, Scandic has developed and introduced a new breakfast offering together with its top chefs and key suppliers. By emphasising high-quality local produce, healthy products made fresh to order, often by chefs present in the breakfast restaurant, and acknowledging the importance of the service element with things as

Photo ÂŠ Hotel Norge by Scandic / Francisco Munoz

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CLICK TO WATCH : ‘ARCTIC SLEEP OF NORWAY’ 06 simple as greeting every guest with a ‘good morning’, Scandic has become the undisputed breakfast champion in Norway.

EMBRACING KEY SUPPLIERS Since Malting became Director of Food & Beverage in 2011, Scandic Hotels Norway has undergone quite the transformation. Over the past seven years, the firm has seen its total number of hotels increase from 16 to 85 with food and beverage sales also rocketing. Currently, Scandic is not only one of the biggest hotel chains in Norway, but also ranks among the biggest players in the restaurant industry. Photo © Hotel Norge by Scandic / Francisco Munoz

“The journey of the quality of our F&B offering has been amazing,” says Malting.

local guests and our core business, hotel guests.”

“Initially, some hotels performed better

Malting mentions restaurant Nova

than others, but today we are an entire

at the newly reopened Hotel Norge by

chain of hotels recognised for great

Scandic as an example of how the

food and beverage experiences, and

company is embracing local love by

we have been successful in creating

selecting the absolute best local prod-

a variety of local restaurant concepts

uce and having the former Bocuse

with one thing in common: we target

d`Or winner Ørjan Johannessen as

the locals. We have managed to do this

the Chef Advisor – Johannessen also

through high-quality local produce

happens to be a local chef who began

and by focusing on telling the unique

his career as a Scandic apprentice.

stories to our guests. By doing this we

Another example is restaurant Bruket

have been successful in attracting both

at Scandic Lillestrøm. Both restaurants

“ We have over 140 items on our breakfast buffet and work lots with local products.We really encourage the hotels to find local products from nearby,so that guests can enjoy the storytelling aspect of the products too” — Morten Malting, Director of Food & Beverage, Scandic Hotels Norway w w w.sc a ndi c ho te l s.c o m

“If you really want to embrace sustainability through cutting down on overproduction, you have to start at the beginning” — Morten Malting, Director of Food & Beverage, Scandic Hotels Norway

Photo ÂŠ Hotel Norge by Scandic / Francisco Munoz

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& A. IdsĂ¸e. OLD CRAFTS, traditions

INNOVATIONs SINCE 1828

post@idsoe.no | 47476783

www.idsoe.no

Haugen-Gruppen Foodservice is the proud organizer of Twinings Best Breakfast through 14 years. Thank you to all participating hotels for their effort to improve the breakfast experience of their guests.

www.haugen-gruppen.com

Photo © Scandic Hotels

have become the preferred choice for

pany it was important to choose supp-

locals and hotel guests alike, thanks to

liers where we become their most

their ‘local love’ strategy. “In Norway,

important customer,” he explains.

there used to be a common impression

Malting points towards key suppliers

that hotel restaurants were of subpar

such as Albert Idsøe (A. Idsøe), which

quality and reserved for hotel guests

has provided high quality meat products

only – I’m glad we are changing that impr-

to Scandic, and Haugen Gruppen, an

ession. Now, even food critics recom-

important supplier within the food and

mend our restaurants,” says Malting.

beverage industry, as reasons why the

Malting emphasises the importance of maintaining relationships with suppl-

company has maintained its success. “I think Albert Idsøe was crucial as

iers and believes this has enabled

our meat supplier when we were small.

Scandic to produce a better product.

Even though it’s quite a small, family-

“My strategy has always been very

run company, I believe our partnership

clear that when we were a small com-

with Albert has helped us tremendousw w w.sc a ndi c ho te ls . com

1963

Year founded

16,000

Approximate number of employees

12 Photo © Hotel Norge by Scandic / Francisco Munoz

ly with the quality of our products. They

visit more than 400 breakfast buffets

currently have three signature prod-

to identify and crown the breakfast

ucts on our award-winning breakfast:

champion. “This competition has really

breakfast sausage, ham and liver paté.

helped us by creating an awareness

Our guests often comment on social

and interest in hotel breakfast among

media about the fantastic liver paté.

the public, and Scandic has taken the

All recipes are made in cooperation

number one position in Norway. It

between Scandic and A. Idsøe chefs,”

means that when people ask which

Malting explains.

hotel chain has the best breakfast,

“Haugen Gruppen, the supplier behind the ‘Twinings Best Breakfast’ competition, has really helped improve the overall

most people will answer Scandic. It really drives business for us.” Scandic Hotels Norway continues

breakfast offering in Norway,” he conti-

to work with all of these companies

nues. Every year independent judges

thanks to the significant success of

each partnership, but Malting is careful to add that although good relations are important, neither supplier nor customer should become too comfortable and it’s vital to ensure a strict tendering process is maintained for every contract. “I think it’s a fine balance between having a really great network, partnerships and relationships – however, these relationships can never become too close because I think it’s critical that you keep your eyes open to see if there are alternative offerings on the market that can potentially do a better job,” he says. Photo © Scandic Hotels w w w.sc a ndi c ho te ls . com

C OMPA N Y FA C T S

• 70,000+ meals have been ‘saved from the bin’ from Scandic hotels in Norway via the Too Good To Go app • Scandic Hotels Norway has reduced waste by 80 tonnes annually — this equals 125,000 meals

Photo © Scandic Hotels

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All Equipment for Professional Kitchens Leading Kitchen Equipment Supplier in Scandinavia www.metos.com

“That’s why we have our own procurement department, both on group level but also here in Norway,” he continues. “They pretty much run the tenders, but we decide together. I think it’s important to consider each company as not just a supplier but also someone that cooperates with us well as a partner. They must have a really great product and be able to offer the best price.”

SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH DIGITISATION In 2016, Scandic Vulkan was the first Norwegian hotel to utilise an app called ‘Too Good To Go’ which helps

Photo © Scandic Hotels

17 eliminate food waste by offering

Scandic has also embraced another

leftover food to the public at discount-

digital solution called ‘Winnow Solutions’,

ed prices. Malting strongly believes

a system which connects a device to

the new app has been an excellent

a weight in order to measure leftover

initiative that has proved mutually

food from a buffet or a customer’s plate,

beneficial to both Scandic and its

affording Scandic an in-depth look at

customers. “The system allows us to

exactly how much is being wasted. The

get money for food that would

daily and weekly reports from the solu-

otherwise go in the bin. At Scandic,

tion enable Scandic’s head chefs to

we like to say that we make our food

produce the right amount of food each

with heart and passion. It belongs in

day and decrease food waste.

the stomach rather than the bin,” says

“If you really want to embrace sustain-

Malting. So far more than 70,000

ability through cutting down on over-

meals have been ‘saved from the bin’

production, you have to start at the

from Scandic hotels in Norway alone.

beginning,” explains Malting. “You have w w w.sc a ndi c ho te ls . com

to buy the right quantity, you have to spend the right amount of time on production, and you have to serve the right portions so that you really avoid leftovers. That’s what we’re aiming for.” In fact, Scandic Hotels Norway has signed a trade agreement with the agriculture and food department whereby the hotel chain has committed to cutting its food waste by 20% by 2020. So far, the Too Good To Go app has helped Scandic cut down on 70,000 meals worth of food waste, while overall through total initiatives at all hotels a 10% reduction has been achieved, and 80 tonnes less food waste is created annually – this is equal to about 125,000 meals. 18

GROWTH THROUGH STRATEGIC ACQUISITIONS In recent years, Scandic has made significant acquisitions in a bid to strengthen its position as the leading hotel chain in the Nordic region. The company acquired the Norwegian hotel chain Rica Hotels in 2014, as well as Finland-based Restel in late 2017 in moves to drive Scandic forward. Malting believes the decision to purchase Rica, among other things, was key in allowing Scandic to revolutionise its breakfast. “Rica Hotels were very famous for their breakfast so when we acquired them, we actually integrated Rica into Scandic, and looked very carefully at how they handle breakfast. “We took the best from Rica and the best from Scandic and we turned it into an award-winning

“The ‘Too Good to Go’ app allows us to get money for food that would otherwise go in the bin. At Scandic, we like to say that we make our food with heart and passion. It belongs in the stomach rather than the bin” — Morten Malting, Director of Food & Beverage, Scandic Hotels Norway

breakfast. We have over 140 items on

with a “good morning”. Breakfast

our breakfast buffet and work lots with

is also a great occasion for hotel

local products. We really encourage

managers, or even the general

the hotels to find local products from

manager, to take an hour each

nearby, so that guests can enjoy the

morning to serve coffee or tea and

storytelling aspect of the products too”,

at the same time chat with guests

says Malting.

and create an informal arena to

Another key element for Malting

receive feedback on the overall hotel

is how the hotels are connecting with

experience or on the breakfast offer-

their guests.

ing. Breakfast is often the last impre-

“I think the breakfast has a lot to do

ssion a hotel guest has of a hotel

with the service level, the visible chefs

before checking out, and therefore

who make the omelette or eggs to

an important element of a stay to

order and how we greet our guests

make a good overall impression.”

Having achieved such consider-

every breakfast buffet in a specific

able success with its breakfast

section. “Even though I don’t have

offering, Malting points to Scandic’s

any food intolerance myself, I was

mentality of ensuring that every

a little bit irritated that it’s always

customer is catered for regardless of

really low-quality products on offer

dietary requirements. This is a part

for those who do. It’s always affect-

of Scandic’s legacy as a pioneer of

ing the gluten-free or the lactose

accessibility and creating hotel

intolerant person, so they never have

experiences which every guest can

a great food experience when they

enjoy, regardless of disability or

visit hotels or restaurants,” says Malt-

specific requirements. Citing the

ing. “At Scandic today, our guests can

aim to achieve ‘a better morning to

enjoy great tasting allergy products

everyone’, Scandic has introduced

on our Food for All section, across

allergy-friendly local products to

all our hotels in the Nordics.” w w w.sc a ndi c ho te ls . com

Photo ÂŠ Scandic Hotels

FUTURE ASPIRATIONS Looking ahead to the future, Malting believes Scandic must continue to prioritise the guest experience in order to sustain its position as the leading hotel chain in the Nordics. “At Scandic, we are always working to be guest-centric. It’s all about the guest experience and we always make sure the guest comes first. We work hard to make everything as seamless as possible so that it’s easy for you to go on a mobile app to book your room or your restaurant; because we know that the digital journey is really important for us moving forward,” he explains. “I think it’s important for Scandic to lead the way. We are a leader when it comes to sustainability and have been since the early 1990s. We are also a leader when it comes to healthy food and food intolerance. If you don’t take each of these elements – health, Photo © Scandic Hotels

food intolerance and sustainability – seriously, then people aren’t going to choose to stay with you in the future. You could say that sustainability’s part of the Scandic DNA.”

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Karenslyst AllĂŠ 11 Oslo Norway T +47 23 15 50 00 www.scandichotels.com