Trailblazing the restaurant operations of tomorrow: Juvenes paves the way to a safer and more sustainable future
Dedicated to offering sustainable personnel and student restaurant services, Juvenes has embraced an active role in preserving nature and the environment. With Kiilto by their side, Juvenes has brought about substantial transformations through small everyday decisions – join us as we explore Juvenes' endeavors to secure a safe and sustainable future.
The ripple effect of everyday choices is much more impressive than it might seem – especially when one decision is repeated thousands of times in a single day. At the heart of Juvenes, a provider of sustainable personnel and student restaurant services, is the mission to offer customers the chance to make impactful choices for the environment and collective well-being – all while enjoying a delicious meal. But how is the future of eco-conscious restaurant operations shaped?
“Our vision as a restaurant and hospitality business is to become a trusted companion for customers in their daily routines and special moments – aiming to provide personalized service on a human-to-human basis,” asserts Nina Lyytinen, Juvenes' Development Manager, with pride. “Quality, expertise, and sustainability form the bedrock of Juvenes' key principles.”
“We systematically examine and assess the environmental impact of our operations, setting objectives and targets for environmental preservation within the framework of our environmental program,” Lyytinen continues. “In our decision-making process, we prioritize sustainability. This encompasses embracing the costs associated with environmentally conscious decisions and diligently seeking the most efficient and advanced solutions.”
Taking tangible steps to lighten the load on the environment
Juvenes' environmental policy traces back to as early as 1997 when Juvenes devised its own environmental program to monitor and reduce the ecological footprint of its operations. Over the decades, almost all sectors of the company have been directed towards a more sustainable trajectory through practical measures.
Menu planning based on seasonal and local produce, opting for products with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, and favoring recycled materials over virgin ones whenever feasible – all shifting the emphasis of procurement towards a circular economy and an eco-conscious lifecycle perspective.
“Our commitment to progress doesn't stop at achieving our current environmental goals. Instead, we continuously identify fresh environmental challenges and developmental needs to replace those we've already achieved. Currently, our efforts are directed towards refining vegetarian recipes and further enhancing food waste reduction, both in storage and at the customer level.”
“Happy customers form the foundation of our services, and we aspire to take care of both people and the environment,” Lyytinen explains.
From small streams, an impactful whole emerges. Solely by having close to a quarter of cleaning products in Juvenes' restaurants packaged in recycled plastic, more than 70 kilograms of virgin plastic were conserved last year. This volume is set to increase annually, as one pivotal environmental goal of Kiilto – a close-knit companion of Juvenes – is to have 70% of all products packed in recyclable or renewable materials, or in reusable packaging, by 2025.
“We look to our partners for opportunities to continuously enhance environmental matters in tandem with us,” Lyytinen emphasizes. “A collective vision for a safer and more sustainable future and a determination to incrementally improve practices for the sake of our shared environment are essential to us.”
Collectively striving for the common good and the well-being of the environment
The persistent drive towards the betterment of both the environment and community undoubtedly presents a demanding journey – even more so in the absence of support and expertise from like-minded companions. Juvenes, therefore, undertakes a meticulous selection of its partners: commitment to sustainability and shared environmental goals are top priorities from the very outset.
Juvenes and Kiilto have stood as a team since 2018, handpicking the optimal solutions to support the daily operations of Juvenes’ restaurants and shared environmental objectives. As much as 90% of the cleaning products used by Juvenes are entirely Finnish, produced at one of Kiilto’s local factories in Turku.
“Kiilto is a solution-oriented partner, consistently pioneering new approaches. Juvenes has also been actively involved in this endeavor, participating in various pilots," mentions Lyytinen (left).”
“Quality, expertise, and sustainability – Juvenes and Kiilto share the same values and a forward-driving attitude. Partly for these reasons, our collaboration has been uniquely fruitful for both parties,” reflects Marja Perttula, Key Account Manager at Kiilto. Kiilto's Promise to the Environment encompasses tangible actions and goals to promote a more climate-conscious everyday life within their customers' sectors. “The Promise to the Environment guides all of Kiilto's operations, enabling us to assist our customers in achieving their environmental goals in a very organic way,” Perttula highlights.
Within Juvenes' restaurants, a noteworthy shift has been the implementation of Kiilto Pro MD Block solid dishwasher detergents. This choice led to a remarkable saving of more than 278 kilograms of virgin plastic in 2022 – roughly akin to the weight of twenty bicycles – compared to procuring liquid dishwasher detergent packed in 20-liter containers for the same requirement. The adoption of these space-efficient, compact chemical blocks also contributes to a reduced environmental impact in terms of logistics, allowing for more efficient transportation of essential cleaning agents to kitchens in one go.
Furthermore, the Kiilto Pro Natura series offers plant-based and fully biodegradable cleaning agents adorned with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, rendering them a significantly more sustainable choice to support the endeavors of professional kitchens without compromising efficiency. Nearly 70% of all cleaning agents used by Juvenes proudly bear the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, which signifies a reduced environmental impact when compared to equivalently efficient chemicals lacking an environmental certification.
“While Kiilto has stood by Juvenes in their developmental journey, we've also benefited from Juvenes' insightful ideas for improvement – ideas that we've eagerly taken on and pushed ahead. The pursuit of a safer future is a joint endeavor,” Perttula shares with enthusiasm.
This article was created in collaboration with Juvenes Oy. Juvenes Oy is a Finnish restaurant and hospitality company that offers unforgettable restaurant, café, and meal services nationwide. Juvenes operates over 50 restaurants and cafes in 10 locations across Finland.
Tags:
