Increasingly, today’s consumers – Millennials in particular – are becoming more concerned with the provenance of their diets. Where food comes from, how its suppliers and growers are treated, and how ethical and sustainable the products are is of great importance.

With Millennials making up the largest adult demographic worldwide (there’s 1.8bn Millennials worldwide, and millennial spending is set to increase over 10% by 2025¹), it’s important to understand their priorities so we can better represent them in our marketplace and offer a range of menu options that complement their value set.

And unlike other generational groups, although Millennials are justifiably concerned with their budget, they are willing to spend more if it’s ethically responsible. 80% of 18 to 34-year-olds in the US say they are willing to pay more for sustainable products while a fifth of 25 to 44-year-olds in the UK say they “try to buy sustainable packaging whatever the cost” ², so it’s clear that sustainability is a top priority.

En Route strives to source produce from ethically responsible suppliers whose strengths lay not just in producing high-quality food, but in acting sustainably and with accountability.

With a policy of sourcing products regionally and keeping their food miles low by travelling only metres from the milking parlour to the factory (which are all based on the family farm), one of our dairy suppliers is also on their way to becoming BCorp accredited. The majority of their disposable packaging is completely recyclable, and the company has recently started trialling a returns scheme, encouraging traders to recycle their packaging by returning the material back to the farm, where they then send them on to be recycled and reused.

But it’s not just our suppliers who possess ethical credentials – we also ensure that our own actions are as sustainable as possible too. Estimates by DEFRA suggest that food transport is responsible for 25 per cent of all miles covered by heavy goods traffic in the UK which is why En Route’s supply chain and operations team make every effort to keep food miles to a minimum, managing movements across the globe as efficiently as possible. As a company which supplies food products to the aviation industry, we’re well aware how this impacts the environment. En Route’s global network of catering units allows us to prepare, store and distribute products without the need for unnecessary travel.

Our procurement team also goes above and beyond to source clean label products, which are better for the environment and of great importance to air passengers too. As stated in WGSN’s Cost of Living Report: “While budget may be the driving force for many, the appeal of menu items free from artificial preservatives and added sugar goes across price points, particularly among Gen Z and Millennials”. ³

Our patisserie manufacturers produce clean label goods (no preservatives, no palm oil and only use free-range eggs), and make a positive commitment to their community in the Hauts-de-France region (which incidentally, has been named the European Capital of Gastronomy for 2023).

As a member of Saveur en’ Or, they contribute to the development of a regional and responsible economy, focusing on the creation of local employment in particular. The membership also guarantees production and processing sites in the Hauts-de-France as well as a maximum use of ingredients from the region, and they are actively working on more environmentally friendly packaging.

One of our bakery suppliers makes 100% of their produce using recipes that use only cage-free eggs and no palm oil, and with wheat that is 100% CRC certified, meaning the quality is guaranteed and traceable, encouraging biodiversity. The thickness and size of the existing packaging has been reduced to minimise waste, with the French packaging already 100% recyclable and a plan in place for all UK packaging to be fully recyclable by 2025.

And with 100% of organic waste recycled through methanisation or composting, we’re proud to be working alongside such great companies and will continue to source existing and new suppliers with strong sustainability practices.

To talk to us about your sustainable products, get in touch at [email protected]

¹ Demographics: How many millennials are there in the world? | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

² Key Trend 2024: Millennial Eating – WGSN Food & Drink

³ Cost of Living: Budget-Conscious Food & Drink – WGSN Food & Drink