FOOD & BEVERAGE: PLANNING FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Food for thought: Planning for a sustainable future

With the business events industry’s focus on sustainable practises stronger than ever, the vision for a sustainable future and its connection to food is clear, writes Lucy E Cousins.

While sustainability has been on the agenda for many Australian businesses for the best part of a decade, the rise in consumer interest (and buying power) in the trend has grown considerably over the past three years. A 2020 study found that nine in 10 Australians are more likely to purchase products that are considered ethical and sustainable – a statistic that made most industries sit up and listen.

As a sector that traditionally stays ahead of trends, it’s not surprising the events industry in particular has been steadily steering their practises to be more sustainable and ethical too. For example, a study conducted by Eventbrite in 2020, found 72 per cent of Australian event planners were already focusing on sustainability (that figure is bound to be higher now, of course).

Combatting food wastage

It’s a trend that Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC) business improvement and marketing manager, Liz De Prose, has seen grow steadily.

PCEC has teamed up with national food rescue organisation OzHarest in an effort to combat food waste and help those experiencing food insecurity.

Photo credit: Josh Morris.

“More and more event planners are placing sustainability at the forefront of their decision-making process,” De Prose explains. “They want to consider the environmental impact that their event is having, and they understand that it places a spotlight on the ethics and values of the organisation.”

PCEC is just one of the major event venues around Australia that is firmly committed to providing sustainable and ethical options at every level. One area that is a priority for De Prose is food wastage.

“Food plays an important role in creating exceptional experiences at any event and is often one of the most memorable components your guests will talk about long after they’ve gone home,” she says. “However, food can be wasted in many ways at different levels.”

To combat this, PCEC’s culinary offering is designed with locally sourced produce in mind, as well as the use of a weekly cycle menu which De Prose says saves on “over preparation and wastage”.

With such a diverse range of produce hailing from Western Australia, PCEC general manager Nigel Keen adds that the venue is spoilt for choice when it comes to local providers.

Guests enjoy the Seven Seasons dining experience at Darwin Convention Centre.

Photo credit: Darwin Convention Centre.

“We celebrate the finest produce of the state through our menus, and we’re passionate about promoting local supply chains and supporting regional communities that offer worldclass produce,” Keen says.

In addition, the team also works with national organisation OzHarvest (to which they donated 1,569 kilograms of food last year), as well as charities such as Ronald McDonald House and St John Giving as part of their corporate responsibility policy.

Creating carbon-friendly offerings

PCEC’s counterweight in New South Wales, International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) is also working to reduce waste and support local. The Centre uses local suppliers, creates edible centrepieces, maintains a vertical herb farm, and offers an almost 100 per cent local wine list. An additional focus on reducing their environmental footprint has also informed the Centre’s food offering.

“Our menu has sustainability at its core as we have undergone a detailed carbon calculation analysis of it,” ICC Sydney director of culinary services Lynell Peck says. “We offer 186 carbonfriendly options making it easier for event organisers to make more informed choices, as well as a positive difference through their events.”

In Western Australia, Buy West Eat Best makes it easier to prioritise local, seasonal ingredients when menu planning.

Photo credit: Buy West Eat Best.

Another key aspect to their approach is a dedication to “foster and promote reconciliation”. Not only does the team source Australian native ingredients from First Nations suppliers and engage with Indigenous-owned businesses, but it also promotes the integration of First Nations culture into ICC Sydney events, including artwork, performances, food and delegate gifts.

“Last year, ICC Sydney reached 73,600 cultural impressions across 67 events – a measurement of the impact of the venue’s global platform and advocacy for reconciliation as visitors engage with Australia’s First Nations people at events,” explains Peck.

Fostering connection through food

Another venue that has placed high importance on incorporating Indigenous culture and a sense of connection through food is Darwin Convention Centre.

“As a business situated on the land of the Larrakia people, Darwin Convention Centre understands the importance of acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of that land and providing opportunities for delegates to have enriching cultural experiences,” Darwin Convention Centre general manager Peter Savoff says.

One of the ways they do that is by collaborating with the Larrakia people when creating their signature “Seven Seasons” dining experience, which is inspired by the traditional Gulumoerrgin seasons calendar. The culinary experience goes beyond dining on Indigenous food by offering an audio and visual package to accompany each course. This innovative process aims to give delegates a “total sensory immersion” into Aboriginal culture.

PCEC celebrates the diversity and quality of local produce through its menus, such as these fresh Akoya Oysters.

Photo credit: Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre.

For Darwin Convention Centre executive chef, Toby Beaton, it’s this marrying of culture and connection through food – created in a sustainable manner – which sets the venue apart.

“Our food has an incredible ability to connect people, whether to each other through a shared meal or to this place by using our native ingredients,” Beaton says. “Today, our delegates and event holders are more conscientious about what kind of impact an event will leave on the local community and they want that to be a positive one.”

Growing the local economy

Supporting the local community is a theme that Buy West Eat Best (BWEB) program manager, Melissa Worthington, is passionate about. Having launched 15 years ago, BWEB has become a trusted state-of-origin, buy local food labelling scheme for the whole of Western Australia. With nearly 250 members, BWEB works with a range of diverse representation both in “location, business scale and business complexity” (think: local producers, chefs, restaurants, retailers, wholesalers, distributors, foodservice, hospitality, event venues and industry associations).

“The figures surrounding food waste in the event sector are frightening,” Worthington says. “It’s vital to consider additional elements like water, energy and transport, as well as the resources used in food production as wastage too.”

An edible centrepiece at ICC Sydney.

Photo credit: ICC Sydney.

Careful menu planning to prioritise local, seasonal ingredients in order to reduce food miles (and overheads) should be an obvious step, she adds.

Furthermore, with reduced costs a regular by-product of sourcing local, sustainable produce for events, it seems the trend is not going anywhere – something Worthington is happy (and a little relieved) about.

“As we face ongoing cost pressures with inflation, rising interest rates and workforce shortages, looking for local first provides industry confidence, connects people, and grows collaborative opportunities,” she says.

“It can also be a catalyst for innovation, building capacity and capability of sustainable food and beverage businesses in the future. It’s a win-win.”