The Ferdinand Steinbeis Institute is developing a digital matching service that makes it easier for organic products produced in the region to also be consumed there.
Environmental awareness and sustainability occupy an increasingly important place on the policy agenda. As a result, there is a growing focus on government targets to step up the production of organic goods. The aim is to increase the number of organic farms by 2030. But this is unlikely to happen unless there is guaranteed consumer demand for more organic products. The political will is there: the government of Baden-Württemberg wants 40% of the products served in its canteens to be organic by 2030. But many producers are reluctant to go organic until they are certain there will be enough demand. Fortunately, help is at hand from an online platform that supports the use of regional organic food in the out-of-home catering sector. The Ferdinand Steinbeis Institute team that developed the platform hopes it will improve the transparency and efficiency of the ordering process.
The use of regional organic food combines organic farming principles with a focus on regional products. Meals are made with organic ingredients that have been sourced regionally wherever possible. The fact that the products are not transported over long distances and have been produced sustainably means that they have a smaller environmental footprint.
Optimizing the ordering process for canteen kitchens
“regiobiomatch.de” is a digital service that, as well as offering menu suggestions for canteen catering, also includes an algorithm that checks the availability and delivery options of organic products. Project coordinator Karoline Frank explains the platform’s benefits: “This process makes it possible to precisely quantify the demand from canteens. If demand for organic products on the platform increases, it sends a clear signal to producers, who can then adjust their cropping plan accordingly”.
The digital service aims to act as a link between policymakers’ desire to promote organic farming and demand for organic products in the out-of-home (OOH) catering sector. A transparent and efficient ordering process ensures that everyone’s requirements and wishes are clearly visible. According to research fellow Alexander Neff, “This builds confidence among producers, encouraging them to switch to organic farming methods and allowing them to match what they produce to the demand for organic products”.
The platform makes it extremely simple for users to generate organic menu suggestions. An algorithm running in the background automatically checks whether the necessary regional organic ingredients are available and can be delivered in the desired amounts. This enables optimized menu planning and execution, allowing diners’ requirements to be satisfied in a sustainable manner.
OOH catering companies that use this digital service can increase their efficiency and competitiveness while at the same time helping to protect the environment. Fast and simple access to regional organic ingredients allows them to offer diners an attractive menu that also meets their sustainability goals.
How does the digital matching service work?
The aim is to “match” supply and demand information about regional organic products – in other words, to match the products offered by organic producers and processors with canteen kitchens’ menu planning. The matching algorithm suggests a variety of menu ideas based on the products available from the region’s organic producers and processors. As well as its own recipes, the recipe database also contains suggestions from the RegioBioMatch online community. The digital service enables direct and indirect communication between producers and canteen kitchens, as well as with processors and logistics providers. This helps the fragmented community of organic producers to connect with each other and work with processors and distributors to meet the canteens’ organic produce requirements. For their part, the canteen kitchens can speak to the relevant parties about how they would like the produce to be processed.
The result is a win-win where innovative technology supports the use of regional organic food. This solution is especially valuable at a time when demand for regional organic food in the out-of-home catering sector is growing steadily, driven by greater environmental awareness and increased
interest in healthy eating. The launch of innovative digital platforms like RegioBioMatch that facilitate the use of regional organic ingredients shows how technology can help to promote sustainable practices in OOH catering. It’s a step towards a more sustainable future where delicious food and environmental protection go hand in hand.
Digital solution still has some limitations
The digital service provides a technological solution that enables the entire process to run efficiently and transparently. What it can’t do, however, is deal with legal or contractual obligations between the different actors in the OOH catering value chain. For the time being, the actors must still determine these liabilities and obligations outside of the digital service. This includes the drawing up and fulfilment of contracts. However, the team at the Ferdinand Steinbeis Institute is planning to research and work on this aspect in future projects.
The “RegioBioMatch” project is funded through the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIP-AGRI) of Baden-Württemberg’s Ministry of Food, Rural Affairs and Consumer Protection.
Contact
Karoline Frank (author)
Director’s Office Heilbronn
Ferdinand-Steinbeis-Institut (Heilbronn)
https://ferdinand-steinbeis-institut.de
Alexander Neff (author)
Research Fellow
Ferdinand-Steinbeis-Institut (Stuttgart)
https://ferdinand-steinbeis-institut.de