Bon Appétit Policies

Bon Appétit Management Company is a restaurant company that offers on-site food service management to almost 200 corporations, colleges and universities, and specialty venues in 28 states.

Founded as a catering company in 1987, Bon Appétit's objective is to serve fresh food, prepared from scratch with natural ingredients. Its chefs prepare the menu items in small batches to ensure freshness and great taste.

The company shows its commitment to social responsibility by supporting local producers and sustainable food suppliers.

Bon Appétit was the first food service company in the country to address the issues related to food's origin and how it is grown. It is still the largest restaurant company with such a high level of commitment to socially responsible practices.

Sustainable policies

Cups and lids made from cornstarch bioplastic
These cups are made from polylactic acid (PLA), which comes from glucose from agricultural crops such as corn and potatoes. Products made from PLA are fully biodegradable and compostable. The cups are both vegan and non-oil-economy-based.

Plates by Earthsmart Products
Goucher uses plates that are made from sustainable, renewable resources. The tableware, containers, and food trays are made from bagasse, a byproduct of sugarcane. The products are compostable and biodegradable. They are also heat-stable, water- and oil-resistant, and they can be refrigerated, frozen, and heated in a standard or convection oven.

Farm to Fork
Farm to Fork is a Bon Appétit company-wide initiative to buy locally. The first choice is to purchase seasonal, regional, and organic produce from local farmers and artisan producers within a 150-mile radius. These local products are served within 48 hours of harvest.

Seafood
Seafood is purchased in accordance with the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch guidelines for sustainable seafood. Locally sourced fish is the first choice for seafood because it reduces Goucher's carbon footprint.

Meats
Bon Appétit is working with ranchers to reduce the amount of drugs given to poultry, cows, and pigs. The company purchases only chicken and turkey that has been produced without the non-therapeutic use of antibiotics. Hamburgers are made with fresh ground chuck, not frozen. Free-range, organic, and grass-fed meat from local sources is served at many locations.

Cage-free eggs
Bon Appétit has been purchasing only cage-free eggs since November 2006. These eggs are from sources that meet the animal standards of Humane Farm Animal Care, an independent farm animal welfare certifying organization.

Dairy
Bon Appétit purchases milk that is free of antibiotics and recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH).

Circle of Responsibility
The Circle of Responsibility is an educational program Bon Appétit created to teach staff and guests about sustainability. The program shows how Bon Appétit kitchen principles support the environment, the community, and personal health. Each café also uses displays to help diners identify foods that are healthy, vegetarian, vegan, organic, and locally and responsibly sourced. This program promotes the benefits of sustainable food to thousands of people every day.

Fair trade
Bon Appétit supports farmers' rights and offers fair trade-certified, shade-grown, and organic coffee options wherever possible.

Low Carbon Diet
The Low Carbon Diet is Bon Appétit's endeavor to drastically reduce the carbon footprint of all its cafés. Food production -- including processing, transportation, packaging, preparation, and waste -- is the single largest human-driven contributor to the greenhouse gases responsible for global climate change. The Low Carbon Diet lowers carbon emissions by reducing use of high-carbon foods, promoting seasonality, providing alternatives to foreign and bottled water, conducting energy audits of equipment, and developing innovative waste management programs. Customer education is a major component of the diet; diners have the opportunity to calculate and reduce the carbon footprint of their own food choices.