Driving Sustainability and Innovation in the Foodservice Industry

What happens when Swiss foodservice reimagines itself for a sustainable future? This project uncovers the bold shifts, hidden challenges, and real-world innovations driving the industry's green transformation—impacting chefs, owners, policymakers, and the plates we all share.

Sustainability Transitions in the Swiss Foodservice: Re-imagining foodservice for a world never imagined (STRest)

Project Description

The foodservice industry is at a crossroads — caught between growing sustainability demands and the pressure to stay agile, profitable, and relevant. This project explores how foodservice organizations in Switzerland are responding to that tension, not just through small improvements, but through bold reinvention.

We’re investigating the real-time shift from conventional models to future-fit systems: What innovations are breaking through? Which business models can hold up under the weight of climate change, shifting regulations, and evolving customer values?

More than a snapshot, this research takes a strategic view — mapping where the industry is today, where it’s trying to go, and what it will take to get there. By bridging academic insight with practical shifts on the ground, we aim to capture the complexity, urgency, and creativity at the heart of foodservice transformation.

Scientific Output

Martin-Rios, C. (2024). Sustainability transitions in small, entrepreneurial food services through systems innovation. Empowering Entrepreneurship for a Better Future, 99–113. https://doi.org/10.1080/26437015.2024.2396077

Martin-Rios, C. (2024, July 5). Sustainability innovation and business model transformation in food services: entrepreneurial and small firms' perspectives. [Paper presentation]. 68th International Council for Small Business World Congress in Berlin, Germany

Start & End Date

01.09.2023 - 01.03.2025

Main Applicant

Martin-Rios, C., EHL Hospitality Business School

Partner

Gossling, S., Linnaeus University

External Funding

HES-SO

Help Shape the Future of Food Service Innovation

Join a global research study led by EHL Hospitality Business School

As the food service industry faces rapid change, your expertise is essential. We're gathering insights from professionals around the world to understand how innovation is transforming food delivery, dining formats, operations, and guest experiences.

Whether you're in fine dining or fast casual, catering or travel dining - your input will help identify the strategies that drive success in this evolving landscape.

Survey now open

EHL Blog Insights

Sustainable Foodservice: Regenerative Strategies for a Greener Future

Prof. Carlos Martin-Rios’ recent research calls for a shift beyond traditional sustainability in foodservice. Rather than focusing solely on waste reduction or profit capture, he advocates for regenerative business models that embrace circular innovation and deliver long-term value across society, the environment, and the economy.

Read Full Article

Other articles by Dr. Carlos Martin-Rios

sustainable-foodservice-regenerative-strategies-greener-future

Our Team

Dr. Carlos Martin-Rios

Associate Professor
"The future of foodservice demands more than isolated innovations—it calls for holistic, systemic transformation where ethical, regenerative, and tech-enabled practices become the norm, not the exception."

Julneth (Martinez) Rogenhofer

PhD Candidate at Universitat de València and Research Assistant at EHL Hospitality Business School
"I am dedicated to understanding how the forces of sustainability, public policy, and innovation intersect to drive transformative change across industries"