Sustainable catering: plant-based options and packaging

More and more clients bring it up themselves: a plant-based option on the menu, less plastic on the table, or just something more sustainable without being able to say exactly what they mean.

Sustainable catering doesn't need to mean overhauling your whole business. Below are the concrete steps to start with, and what they get you.

Why sustainability keeps coming up more often

At corporate events, the question is often already in the enquiry: how many plant-based dishes can you offer, and do you use reusable or compostable tableware.

At weddings and private parties it comes up less often as a hard requirement, but increasingly as a question during the intake conversation. If you've already got an answer ready, you won't have to improvise on the spot while the client's watching.

It's rarely about a fully sustainable concept. Most clients are happy with a few visible choices: a plant-based option that doesn't feel like an afterthought, and packaging that doesn't go straight in the bin.

Plant-based as a standing part of the menu

The difference is often in how you serve it, not just what you serve. A plant-based dish listed as a full main option on the menu, alongside the other dishes, lands better than a separate "vegan box" that's clearly meant as the exception.

Start with one or two dishes you've already got down, and that you can adjust by season. That works better than overhauling your whole menu in one go and finding out afterward the kitchen can't keep up on a busy Saturday.

When buying in, also pay attention to where your plant-based ingredients come from. Local, seasonal vegetables save on food cost, and they're the quickest argument to win over a sceptical client.

Tackling packaging and disposables

Packaging is the first thing many clients notice, and the easiest thing to change. Swap plastic cutlery and cups for compostable or reusable alternatives.

Also take a hard look at what you're bringing along anyway: containers, film wrap, napkins. That's often where more disposables hide than in the tableware the client actually asks about.

A number of caterers now run a return system for reusable tableware with regular corporate clients. Over time, that works out cheaper than buying disposables again and again, as long as you factor in the trip back and the washing-up.

What it costs you, and what it gets you

Sustainable packaging and plant-based ingredients are often a bit pricier per unit. That doesn't have to eat into your margin, as long as you build it into your quote instead of quietly absorbing the cost.

Clients who ask for it explicitly are also more often willing to pay for it. It's a choice they've made themselves, so you can simply pass on the cost.

The real return usually isn't in the cost price but in the quoting round. More and more companies and venues weigh sustainability as a selection criterion, and a caterer who already has an answer for that is less likely to get cut.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to make my whole menu plant-based to cater sustainably?

No. Most clients are already happy with a solid plant-based main option alongside your existing menu. Start with a few dishes you've already got down, rather than overhauling your whole offer in one go.

Is sustainable packaging a lot more expensive?

Often a bit pricier per unit, but that doesn't have to eat into your margin if you build it into your quote. Clients who ask for it explicitly are usually willing to pay for it too.

Do companies ask about sustainability more often than private clients?

Yes, at corporate events the question is often already standard in the enquiry. Private clients usually only raise it during the intake conversation.

Is it worth investing in reusable tableware?

With regular corporate clients, a return system for reusable tableware can work out cheaper over time than buying disposables again and again. Just factor in the trip back and the washing-up before you offer it.

How many plant-based dishes should I offer at a corporate lunch?

That depends on what the client's asking for, but a plant-based main option sitting alongside the other dishes covers most requests. State clearly what's in it, so guests don't have to ask.

How do I avoid food waste at a buffet or lunch?

Top up in smaller rounds instead of putting everything out at once, and agree with the client beforehand what happens to any leftovers. It saves on buying in, and it's the part of going sustainable that puts money back in your pocket straight away.

Catermonkey sets your plant-based dishes and sustainable packaging as standing options in your quote, with the price attached, so you tick them per client and see straight away what it does to your margin.

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