Promoting healthy eating habits through innovation
At CIRFOOD, we are constantly working to improve the food experience of our guests and clients. We see that more and more people are consciously choosing a healthy lifestyle. That's why we offer a wide range of nutritious and delicious options to inspire and support our guests in making healthy choices. Even if people are on the road, working in the office or want to order outside our regular opening hours, we are ready to help. With this vision in mind, we started a pilot together with partner Healthy Fridge for corporate catering.
Many guests indicated choosing healthy options more often
More organizations are witnessing changes in their office dynamics: employees come in less frequently but expect an inspiring and welcoming work environment when they do. This creates new demands for lunch services. The goal? A healthier, more sustainable, and accessible lunch offering that aligns with the company’s sustainability ambitions and extends to all aspects of business operations.
How do you create a catering concept that adapts to fluctuating attendance, contributes to a healthy and sustainable work culture, and motivates employees to come to the office? That’s a major challenge. And how do you ensure that a corporate restaurant catering concept also helps reduce environmental impact?
Traditional corporate catering no longer meets expectations. Lunch participation is declining, costs remain high, and employees increasingly opt for external dining options or unhealthy alternatives. This not only affects employees' well-being but also weakens social connections within teams.
CIRFOOD was challenged to develop a solution that responds to these trends: an innovative lunch concept that combines sustainability, health, and experience while remaining accessible to all employees—from janitors to executives.
CIRFOOD developed Essentials: an all-you-can-eat lunch concept focused on health, sustainability, and accessibility. Key features:
Essentials transforms the traditional company canteen into a full-fledged corporate restaurant. The concept is designed to enhance the lunch experience, from menu selection to restaurant layout. Thoughtful design and an inviting presentation encourage guests to stay longer, explore more, and make healthier choices. This contributes to a welcoming and inspiring environment where employees enjoy coming together.
A healthy lunch directly supports employee vitality. Good nutrition leads to higher energy levels, better concentration, and reduced absenteeism. Additionally, shared meals strengthen social cohesion: employees who previously ate outside now deliberately choose the corporate restaurant. Some even come to the office specifically for lunch, fostering a stronger workplace culture.
A pilot at a large telecom company showed impressive results:
Essentials is a unique concept that offers a smaller daily selection but a high level of variation throughout the week. One of its standout features in this all-you-can-eat model is the ability to subtly guide guests in their food choices. This is achieved by offering smaller portions and creating a more diverse menu. On average, guests select 4 or 5 items per meal, leading to more varied meals and more conscious choices. Additionally, communal dining fosters a greater sense of togetherness among employees.
CIRFOOD’s Essentials proves that an innovative lunch concept can contribute to a healthy and sustainable workplace culture. It increases lunch participation, strengthens social connections, and reduces environmental impact. Essentials is not just a corporate catering solution—it’s an investment in employee vitality and satisfaction.
