The out-of-home catering market has been undergoing profound transformations for several years now. Caterers have thus established themselves, following a change in consumption habits and a relative disaffection for traditional restaurants, as major players. However, new demands are coming from customers today, which is pushing the market to reinvent itself and favoring the development of players who do not hesitate to change the rules of the game.
A booming market.
Until recently, the natural reflex of employees for the lunch break was to go to a restaurant near their workplace or, for those who had one, to the inter-company restaurant (RIE). But the consumption of meals at work has evolved considerably in recent years, with uses increasing and diversifying. It is no longer uncommon to prefer to order meal trays at the same time as a meeting rather than going out for lunch, and many companies today use the services of a professional caterer to provide catering for their event instead of reserving a large table in a restaurant. To meet these growing demands, the corporate catering market has therefore expanded significantly, whether through delivery, via platforms or even connected canteens.
However, this model itself appears today in many respects to be outdated.
A model that is reaching its limits.
There are a large number of caterers on the market today offering their services to businesses. But, whether it is meal trays and lunch packages as well as buffets for professional events, many defects appear, sometimes recurrently. One of the most frequently raised issues concerns logistics, and what manager has not been faced with a delay in the delivery of meal trays for a crucial meeting, generating stress that is as unnecessary as it is inappropriate?
Another subject is that of the variety of proposals. Despite the diversity of players, it is clear that menus too often tend to look the same: how many identical salads at lunch, how many interchangeable cocktail pieces at company evenings? This is of course explained by the desire of caterers to follow what they perceive as the expectations of their customers, and therefore partly the effects of fashion. But, beyond that, there is undoubtedly a lack of research and originality in the creation of recipes. Finally, the main criticism that could be addressed to players in the corporate catering market relates to packaging. To simplify the storage and delivery of their products, the vast majority of them use packaging that is often individual, disposable and most often difficult to recycle due to its composition. As an illustration, more than 20,000 meals are distributed every day in Parisian offices and administrations: the equivalent of six Eiffel Towers, a large part of which is avoidable.
New consumer expectations.
However, CSR has emerged as a major issue, both for companies and for the employees who make them up. The impact of consumption being central, the subject of disposable packaging is therefore a real problem. The same goes for the composition of the menus and the ingredients used: do these come from the other side of the world, with the carbon emissions linked to their importation going with them? Under what conditions, environmental but also human and social, are these ingredients produced? What about sustainability and circularity?
At the same time, eating has become more than the simple satisfaction of a vital need. It is now a special moment for employees, who are as attentive to the impact of their meals on the environment and their health as to their taste. Eating is more than just nourishment, it is also a taste experience. Adapting menus to various diets, to respond to philosophical or religious convictions (pork-free, vegetarian or vegan) or well-being and health requirements (gluten-free, egg-free, lactose-free, etc.) is therefore necessary, but cannot be done to the detriment of taste. And it is precisely this recipe, as subtle as it is essential, that new players like Le Cercle are offering.
Models that change the rules of the game.
Born in 2016, Le Cercle quickly established itself among the major players in the corporate catering market in Île-de-France, not hesitating to shake up certain rules to offer an alternative model. Since its creation, the company has put circularity at the center of its approach. Rather than using disposable packaging, Le Cercle uses reusable containers, made from 94% plant residues (PDT peelings, corn stalks, etc.) or bamboo; which the company collects on site the day after delivery to wash and recondition them before reintroducing them into the circuit. These are tons of waste that are not produced every day. As part of a global inclusiveness approach, Le Cercle has formed a partnership with ESAT l’Envol for the pre-conditioning and washing of its reusable packaging.
This eco-responsible approach is not limited to containers alone. To minimize the impact of its activity on the environment, Le Cercle only uses seasonal products in its recipes – classic as well as vegetarian, vegan or free of certain ingredients or allergens – products, as much as possible organic and from short circuit production chains to consume as locally as possible. Changing the menu each season also allows Le Cercle to regularly offer new recipes, thus avoiding any weariness among its customers. Delivery is ensured by low-emission vehicles or refrigerated tricycles in Paris.
Of course, a simple virtuous approach cannot meet the demands of companies, which are as concerned with respecting CSR commitments as with practicality. Le Cercle’s offering is therefore designed to meet the needs of businesses, both for meetings and business lunches with its designer and delicious meal trays and for larger events through the range of buffets and finger food. Delivery is fast, and the entire Le Cercle team has made quality of service a cardinal value.
The example of Le Cercle illustrates the need for the corporate catering market to reinvent itself, to offer models, to finally truly meet the new expectations of consumers, both more respectful of environmental and social issues and uncompromising on the health and taste quality of meals. By offering a new standard to businesses and consumers, Le Cercle contributes to positively transforming its market and moving the lines to promote more responsible consumption which does not forget that eating remains a pleasure.
