Unilever Food Solutions Partners with Culinary Institute of America

Unilever Food Solutions, the food service division of Unilever, today shares its ambition to help chefs make 200 million meals healthier, tastier, and more enjoyable every day by 2020. In North America, in support of this ambition, the goal is to help operators reduce 1 billion calories on restaurant menus and through a partnership agreement with The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), to help develop a sustainable food service industry.

The food service industry, and its tens of millions of chefs who prepare dishes every minute in 17.5 million outlets, has the potential to make a big collective impact. Small actions, like reducing food waste and calories on menus, can, when multiplied by tens of millions, make a big difference.

Through this partnership, Unilever and The Culinary Institute of America will provide resources and expertise to help operators and chefs focus on implementing healthier, and more sustainable, business practices. Current research on culinary excellence, social responsibility, and business innovation will be presented as part of the Menus of Change First Annual Leadership Summit, hosted by The Culinary Institute of America and the Harvard School of Public Health in Cambridge, Maryland, June 10-12.

Simon Marshall, president of Unilever Food Solutions North America says: “We are pleased and excited to have forged this new partnership with the CIA. Our goals to help the food service industry create a sustainable future are well-aligned. We are on this journey together, and by combining our unique resources I believe we can have a really positive impact on the health and sustainability of the food service industry.”

“Half of all meals consumed today on a dollar cost basis are being prepared by culinary professionals. Chefs shape taste preferences and national food trends, and with that they are in the best position to make healthy, sustainable foods craveable. We, at The Culinary Institute of America, are thankful for Unilever’s partnership and vision in focusing on well-being in the food service industry,” says Dr. Tim Ryan, president of The Culinary Institute of America. 

Unilever Food Solutions is contributing to – and involving chefs directly in – the sustainability targets of its parent company Unilever, which announced in 2010 the vision to double the size of the business while reducing its environmental footprint and increasing its positive social impact. Next to its lead commitment tohelp chefs make 200 million daily meals healthier, tastier and more enjoyable by 2020, Unilever Food Solutions is driving global change in the following areas:

Help chefs to run a more efficient kitchen and reduce their waste

• In a number of countries, including North America, through the United Against Waste Program, Unilever works with organizations and operators to reduce and redirect waste away from landfills and into sustainable opportunities such as compost for community gardens.

Sustainably source 100 percent of agricultural raw materials by 2020

• In 2007, Unilever was the first major tea company to commit to sustainable sourcing of tea on a large scale. By 2015, 100 percent of Lipton® teas will be Rainforest Alliance Certified.

Help chefs to improve food safety in their kitchen

• In China, Unilever Food Solutions partnered with the State Food and Drug Administration to deliver Food Safety Workshops to 1,000 operators. The Food Safety Service also reached over 100,000 operators in 28 key cities.

Simon Marshall adds: “Our food service industry in North America feeds millions of people daily. With scale comes responsibility. Tackling big sustainability issues has to be a priority for the food service industry in North America, not because we say so, or because it’s a nice thing to do, but because it is the only way we can continue to grow as an industry. That’s why we at Unilever Food Solutions are committed to helping operators deliver healthier menus sustainably. We ask that operators and chefs join us and take the seductive nutrition pledge to remove 100 calories from a top dish.”