The Importance of Organic Food in Hotels Free Essay Example

In this research paper it focuses on the impact of organic food on the hospitality industry and the reaction of the hotel industry to the organic food according to the global trend of organics based on the perspective of the consumers. This research also reveals us with the total amount of organic food trade that the hotels bring organic food in the F&B and change the operating system in the kitchen, F&B department and the marketing, which is included food control & supply, menu design etc.

, which not only make the hotel industry much more competitive and intensive, also more environmental-friendly due to organic food.

Introduction As is well-known, the increasing consumers’ consciousness of food safety and health issues and environmental problems has contributed to the growth in emergence of organic hotels in UK. The Moss Grave Hotel is one of those cases. It is fiercely argued whether the organic food will be survived and regulated to be acceptable and get popular by the consumers in the hospitality industry.

Long before, people are never aware of nutritional values of food what they eat, where it comes and how it is produced and sourced.

Environmentally speaking, the conventional agriculture has been harmful to the longevity of our planet and soil over the last decades and years. Oppositely, the organic agriculture is related to the sustainability of the society and the earth. Organic food is defined as the food is grown and produced more naturally and organically without any chemicals, pesticides, additives or preservatives, which does contain more natural nutrients, vitamins, fibers and minerals.

Conventional food uses more chemical fertilizers, more pesticides and herbicides in agriculture to reduce pets, disease and weeds spreading and to promote plant quick growth.

Nowadays, taking health and environment these elements into consideration, organic food is playing a vital role in the cuisine choice of customers. Free from chemicals and antibiotics, organic is one of the best and healthiest types of food to ensure the health of the consumers and remain the taste of the food or even surpass, and also to make sure that the soil on the earth will not get damaged, which is the main reason to explain why the recent demand for organic food in hotel hospitality industry is starting to increase.

Trend of Organic Food BioFach’ has been established since 1990 and is the largest worldwide organization of trade fair for organic food and agriculture since a decade. It is held each year in the month of February in Nuremberg, Germany, which is organized by IFOAM- International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements. It brings together 2774 exhibitors and roughly 46700 trade visitors from around 130 countries. (Wikipedia, 2001) According to BioFach (2010), the sales of organic products in Europe have been increased by 10% in 2008 and are estimated at €18 billion. It reported in 2009 and showed the biggest organic markets in Europe include Germany (€5. billion) ranking first, followed by France (€2. 6 billion), Italy (€1. 97 billion) and the United Kingdom (€2. 5 billion) (Organic food consumption in Europe, 2010). It reveals that there are still spaces to expand the new market segments which are willing to purchase organic products.

When we look at the following chart, (Organic Industry, 2011) it shows that there is a dramatic upward trend of organic food trade during the recent decade from 2000 to 2010, the data are provided by “Organic Trade Association, whose mission is to promote and protect organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public, and the economy”. OTA, 2013) In 2000, the value of organic food trade is moving extremely up from 6100 million dollar to 26708 million dollar in 2010. This is to say; the revenue of the trade in 2010 has almost risen fourfold more than 10 years ago. In terms of the percentage of growth in organic food, it is keeping increasing yearly, particularly at the peaks of 21% in 2000 and 21. 1% in 2006. As a whole, the percentage of organic food trade has consistently increased from 1. 2% to 4. 0% among the total food trade since the 10 years.

Based on these numbers below, it appears that the organic food has been the main cuisine alternative of mainstream consumers in the daily life. Emergence of Organic Food in Hotels With the trend focuses on the organic food, no wonder that one element of this trend has come up to our real society is organic hotels. The hoteliers are set to catch up with the mainstream trend to remain competitive and they are going to hold the responsibility on their shoulders for taking the organic food into the kitchen, inn terms of providing the guests a healthy lifestyle.

These organic hotels are becoming increasing popular over time, while a plenty of consumers is demanding for organic food. Due to the improvement of people’s consciousness of health, there has been an emergence of organic producers- organic food retailers coming to the marketplace to sell their products to those hotels that have a large demand of organic food for their customers. The current most notable organic hotel is the Moss Grove Organic Hotel in Grasmere, UK.

An organic hotel is the best optional place for those who want to take the healthy food, which do not contain any chemicals or noxious substances that are questionable could make people get sick or feel uncomfortable. “The new offerings provide another layer of options for our guests, and cater to an ever-growing audience that is committed to organic eating as part of a healthy lifestyle” (Philipp Posch, 2010). Certainly, it is not something new. This emerging trend of organic food is taking place in every restaurant of hotel over a few years.

In that sense, Building a strong business relationship with the local suppliers through close contact is to understand what hotels expect and what suppliers should deliver. Appealing to it, tons of resorts hotels are locating in a farm, not only because of its panorama, but also to get the freshest ingredients like meat, cheese, vegetables etc. directly from that local farm to provide the guests the best quality and the most natural and nutrient food and to give them a eco-friendly place to spend their holidays.

On the other way, the organic food suppliers have to be certified by the government according to their standardized rules for organic food. What is worth to mention is, the Moss Grove Hotel also has put the organic white wine, red wine, rose and champagne on the wine list for varied options. In addition, organic food has also given the hotel more options of menu according to seasonal food. Menu planning is significant for a hotel to have a power to bring the customers coming in. It is vital to understand the importance of the content of the menu; it has to meet the expectations of the consumers.

Moreover, the food that is imported from other countries does not contain the same value of nutrients as them from the local farms, due to the transportation;many fruits and vegetables may not be kept fresh and lose the nutrients. So at this point, the food like local eggs, cheese, chicken or beef that is provided to the guests should be local, seasonal or sustainable, which is organically grown and sourced by the local producers. To some extent, the guests who travel around will be impressed by the local products and come back one day to taste the local food again.

For sure, if the local food is being used, then it will be highlighted on its menu of hotel. Besides, designing the menu is not enough, there must be using some mass media ways to advertise the hotel’s local green food to make it outstanding and to promote the branding of hotel in order to broaden its marketing, for example advertising, website and commercials. The purpose of using organic and natural food of Moss Grove Hotel is trying to maintain a sustainable and environmental-friendly society and to get an approach to operate the promoting business.

They are committed to indulge their guests in quality and privacy. In the recent years, many hotels have already established business relationship with the local community. On one hand, the hotels could have 100% natural organic foods from the local retailers, which could not only bring a delicious taste to our guests, but also benefit the community and the environment, that is to say; the high demand of organic food from the guests has also reduced the local unemployment rate and continues to expand and grow from farm to the table of hotel. Thus for both parties, it is always reciprocal.

In terms of abroad the marketing of organic food, the Moss Gove Hotel has some special sales about organic food, which is concerned about holding an organic feast and inviting the guests and people in the surrounding through propagandas and advertisements to provide them some foods which are produced organically, for example organic roasted beef, cherry tarts, cupcake etc. , and also package some for easy pick-up. During the feast, the kitchen chefs will inform the guests the information about the organic ingredients, which is tremendously important. That’s because organic foods cost more.

Keep them in mind why organic food matters to them and how organic food has influenced them and make them healthier can be the difference between good or poor organic food sales. For the wine or beer, it is the same way- to hold a probe day for the organic wine or beer to get to know the taste and expectations of the guests in order to meet their satisfactions. The reason for that feast is not only to promote the consumers’ awareness related to health and social environment, and the hotel can benefit from the people who are well educated about the organic consumption.

According to this trend of organic food, we can sum up that organic food still will bring more hoteliers on the way to towards organic food. Organic food is not a small niche any more from the hotels’ perspectives. People have nowadays the wants to eat in a little more expensive and a more healthy way. So that to attract more guests to consume in a more healthy, organic and local way. Conclusion ‘The word of organics is detailed and complex with governments, organizations, businesses interest groups and individuals from many countries attempting to form a consensus on what it is to be ‘organic’ (About Organics, nd. . Today, as so many scandals about food added with chemicals and antibiotics, it has led to the mistrust of our consumers to conventional food. Instead, organic food is finally a growing industry and it is reaching high of our guests’ acceptance. The demand of organic food is going to get popular year after year. Although the economy of the organic food on the market is not growing that fast, it is always moving up due to environmental responsibility.