“We want to help our diners make active choices”
FOOD by Coor is based on six cornerstones, also our customer pledges. But what do they mean in practice? Nova met Gustaf Sökare, who works as a restaurant assistant at one of our sites. This is his view of innovation, good service, customer adaptation and sustainability.
Staff interview—FOOD by Coor in practice
Gustaf Sökare began working as an assistant at a new FOOD by Coor restaurant start-up on the site of a major customer at Kista, near Stockholm, three years ago. He soon realized that innovation, improvement, sustainability and service were important to Coor.
“It’s good to have clear objectives in the workplace, so everyone is pulling in the same direction. A good atmosphere and teamwork are also important. If our team get along with each other, our customers will notice. It adds value to me if I can give good service and really enjoy what I’m doing and working on,” says Gustaf.
Gustaf also says that there was a sharp focus on creating new routines during the start-up phase. In a restaurant that serves 1,200 lunches every day, everything has to work. Since the end of 2014, the restaurant Gustaf works in also has the environmental certification "Krav". In practice, this means the restaurant works consciously on raw materials procurement, and applies a minimum standard that 15 of the raw materials in each day’s lunch are either accredited, organic or for fish, not seine caught.
Since that time, Gustaf has worked at several restaurants and on various start-ups at new sites. When earlier this year, Coor was assigned to take on responsibility for 11 restaurants, 6 cafes and 5 kiosks in Gothenburg, Skövde, Floby and Olofström for Volvo Cars, Gustaf got the opportunity to join the start-up team. A group of committed FOOD by Coor people traveled from Stockholm to Gothenburg and helped introduce new staff and customers to the restaurant concept.
Food is about far more than just a meal.
“You never really get in the comfort zone—you have to continuously push forward and think in terms of regeneration. That’s very largely why I work on major integrations and start-ups. This brings me new energy that I can pass on to my colleagues. The start-up in Gothenburg for Volvo Cars was fantastic—we have an amazing team. Everyone was upbeat, committed and focused, not just on carrying out our mission, but also doing it with a smile,” continues a happy Gustaf.
Sustainability is a question that’s important not only for Gustaf, but for the whole of FOOD by Coor. There’s a broad perspective on sustainability going right across FOOD by Coor. This can be about actively overhauling procurement contracts and managing purchasing, coordinating central resources, working on an energy-efficient basis, and cutting food waste. The environmental initiative that’s part of FOOD by Coor’s customer pledge also puts a big focus on diners’ health. By offering our diners healthy and environmental alternatives, we can create awareness about sustainability and ecology.
“Food is about far more than just a meal. I’m trying to write my own story about food, and create value for my diners. We need to be able to talk about overfishing, excessive meat consumption and what’s really important. Our diners are highly aware about what’s happening in the world, but they can’t make active choices if we don’t help them. By offering good, healthy and environmental alternatives, we help our guests and the environment. One of the major initiatives we’re running at my restaurant is to offer our guests meat-free Mondays, for example,” adds Gustaf proudly.