Diversity Foodservices: "Greenest Restaurant over 10K square feet" LEAF award winner for 2018

Chef Jessica at Elements

We recently handed out our 2nd Annual LEAF Awards at the RC Show in Toronto. We thought we’d take a look back at one of our first recipients of a LEAF award, and find out if and how it has impacted their business.

Diversity Foodservices in Winnipeg, Manitoba, operates a number of restaurants including University of Winnipeg’s elements, Pangea’s Kitchen and Malecon, and Buffalo Stone Cafe. We asked COO Ian Vickers about winning a LEAF award.

Why did you apply for the LEAF awards?

IV: Sustainability is at the heart of the Diversity Foods mission.  We like to work with LEAF because having a 3rd party check that we are truly on-track brings a new level to our verification process.  We applied for the LEAF award because we have always thought of ourselves as leaders in the Sustainable Large Scale Food Service sector, and we wanted to know the validity of that claim.

Executive Chef Kelly

What has the award changed in your business? 

IV: Winning the LEAF award for most sustainable large food service establishment has brought a lot of pride to our team members.  It reminds our line cooks that what they do every day has meaning and has a verifiable impact.  We keep the award in a location where our whole campus team can see it as they start and end their days, to remind them that we are doing something unique here; and that uniqueness has been recognized by a national agency.

What do you like about the LEAF award?

IV: It increases the awareness of the importance of sustainability, and serves as a reminder that businesses can be sustainable actors and while they succeed financially.

What is the importance of investing in sustainability?

IV: Climate change is real. Resources are finite. A changing market of consumers now understand these things, and are willing to make purchasing decisions based on the ethics that a company presents.  The old model of profit maximization by pillaging from those already socially, culturally, and economically disenfranchised or by raping our planets natural habitats is quickly becoming outdated.  If a company wants to be relevant to its customers it now has to invest in sustainable systems that ensure equity for individuals in procurement, manufacturing and distribution systems as well as a solid plan for creation and disposal of goods that is either neutral or a benefit to the environment. 

The corporate cheese has moved;  move with it or starve.

Thanks to Ian Vickers and the whole team at Diversity Foodservices for their on-going commitment to sustainability!

LEAF Awards: LEAF recognizes four leaders in sustainability in the foodservice industry

On Feb 27th, the first LEAF awards were handed out at the RC Show in Toronto. After a jam-packed three days of food, innovation and sustainability discussions, the show was capped off by recognizing leaders in the sustainable foodservice industry. 

We thank all of the applicants to the 2018 LEAF Awards, and are proud of all of our LEAF-certified members that operate with sustainability in mind everyday. We applaud your commitment to the environment and your customers!

Award: Most Improved
Recipient: Community Cafe, Calgary, AB

The LEAF program is not about perfection, but about continuous improvement in sustainability, and Community Cafe (run by Community Natural Foods) has demonstrated their commitment to striving for better. When Community Cafe first became certified in 2012, they were already operating in a sustainable manor - local and sustainable food, sustainable seafood, a high percentage of vegan and vegetarian dishes, wind powered by Bullfrog Power, water-conserving fixtures, composting, and more! Since that time, Community Cafe has aimed to become a zero-waste facility, purchased ENERGY STAR appliances, and become an official OceanWise partner, establishing themselves amongst the more sustainably run businesses in Calgary. 

We are proud to recognize Community Cafe for their commitment to always doing better!

Award: Greenest Restaurant over 10,000 square feet
Recipient: Diversity Foodservices, Winnipeg, MB

Ian Vickers, COO of Diversity Food Services and LEAF President, Janine Windsor

Photo courtesy of Restaurants Canada

Diversity Food Services operates a number of restaurants (Elements, Malecon, Pangeas Kitchen, Buffalo Stone Cafe) all of which are all LEAF certified. Operating a large-scale foodservice facility can present some unique challenges to certain sustainability goals (securing large, consistent quantities of local food, retrofitting components that are part of a larger institution, etc). Diversity Food Services has demonstrated innovation and commitment in overcoming these challenges and stands as a leader in sustainable facility operations.

Their achievements include sustainable (Ocean Wise) seafood, a high percentage of local food, wide variety of meat-free dishes, recycled and compostable supplies, LEED certified buildings composting, and more, making Diversity Food Services deserving of this award.

Award: Eco-Innovator
Recipient: Creelman Market

The Eco-Innovator award was open to any restaurant or foodservice facility in Canada that has demonstrated innovative solutions to sustainable challenges. For large scale facilities, procuring local and seasonal produce year round can be a challenge in Canada. Creelman Market overcame this by implementing a large scale food preservation operation, which allows use of local produce in their facilities year round. While the concept of food preservation and canning may not be new, the scale to which this facility has undertaken it to ensure they are using as much local food as possible every month of the year, has taken it to a new level and solved a local food challenge for Canadian food service facilities.

Award: Greenest Restaurant
Recipient: Chic Alors!, Quebec, QC

Hugues Philippin, Owner of Chic Alors! and Janine Windsor, President of LEAF

Photo courtesy of Restaurants Canada

In order to be eligible for the Greenest Restaurant award, restaurants had to be Level 3 (our highest) LEAF certified restaurant. While all Level 3 LEAF restaurants are high-performing and deserving of recognition, Chic Alors! stood out as a true leader for 2018, being engaged in all 10 of LEAF’s Areas of Sustainability. Chic Alors! has geothermal heating, electric vehicles for delivery, their own beehives, LED lighting and more. 

Hugues Philippin, owner of Chic Alors!, credits his decision to operate as a sustainable restaurant as a key factor in operational cost savings. 

Thank you to everyone who entered to win the award this year. Your commitment to improvement in the sustainable foodservice industry is inspirational.

Congratulations to all of our winners!

LEAF Releases Annual Guide to Canada's Greenest Restaurants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CERTIFIED GREEN RESTAURANTS ON THE RISE ACROSS CANADA

Annual LEAF Guide to Canada’s Greenest Restaurants Released In Time for Earth Day

Victoria, BC, April 17, 2017 -- Food trends come and go but eating green and being sustainable continues to be a growing movement for Canadian restaurants. Support for environmentally responsible restaurant practices means a steady increase in green dining options, as shown by Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice (LEAF), who released their Guide to Canada’s Greenest Restaurants this week in honour of Earth Day.

“Canadians are increasingly aware of their environmental footprint,” said LEAF President, Janine Windsor. “Choosing LEAF certified restaurants, cafes, or food trucks means they are making a difference and supporting the highest standards of sustainability.”  

LEAF’s top five most sustainable restaurants in Canada are: Locals Restaurant - Food from the Heart of the Island, Comox, BC; River Cafe, Calgary, AB; The Coup, Calgary, AB; Degrees, Winnipeg, MB; and Chic Alors!, Quebec, QC.

There are now 85 LEAF certified restaurants across Canada and all of them have been reviewed in ten areas of sustainability. Once certified in one of three levels they are able to display the LEAF decal, which shows diners they are choosing a restaurant commitmented to green foodservice practices. Many use renewable energy, compost their waste, and use eco-friendly cleaners. Others no longer offer bottled water and all LEAF certified restaurants have eliminated styrofoam packaging. Most have made significant changes to energy consumption and waste management, which has resulted in significant financial savings.

“LEAF certified restaurants are foodservice leaders not only in their communities but across Canada,” Windsor adds. “They’ve committed to on-site audits, continual improvement, and are showing the industry that going green can be great for business.”

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