Interview with Fedele Bauccio, CEO Bon Appétit Management

Bon Appétit Management Company is the Food and Beverage Innovator per the Environmental Defense Fund's (EDF) Innovations Review 2009, specifically being recognized for reducing the environmental and carbon footprint of 400 corporate and university cafes around the US. EDF unveiled Innovations Review 2009: Green Advances for a New Economy at the Fortune Brainstorm Green Conference in Laguna Niguel, California on April 21, 2009.  The Innovations Review is a survey of environmental innovations in business and highlights the most compelling new practices and technologies EDF has identified over the year: those that drive operational efficiency, create new business opportunities, and carve out competitive advantages.(Bill Clinton also spoke at the Conference on Earth Day about his Clinton Climate Initiative, and my review of Bill Clinton's Speech is here.)
For history, Gratitude Gourmet featured Bon Appétit's Online Food Calculator, meat and cheese operational reduction, and educational program in a February 2009 blog post.
I was fortunate to interview Bon Appétit's CEO and Founder Fedele Bauccio at the Fortune Brainstorm Green Conference.  As his background is Italian, he was always attracted to food, eating together, and bonding. Therefore, since it was customary to chat over food, he enjoyed some fresh fruit during our afternoon discussion.
The Beginning
In founding Bon Appétit, Fedele asked the following questions: “Why can't I create really good food in a large restaurant environment, and how do I build a restaurant company in a contract environment”.  He said, “Everyone remembers watered-down green beans from many years ago”, and this is something he wanted to avoid.  Fedele founded his company in 1987 with the goals of creating a niche company and hiring great chefs to revolutionize the contract marketplace.  He acquired several accounts including Oracle and embraced ethnic concepts such as a Japanese noodle bar. Other companies saw this and wanted a customized solution.  Many people saw this concept as unsustainable, however, Fedele saw this as an opportunity to provide great food and the money would come later.  He talked to a few college Presidents and gained their accounts. Now, he has well over 100 colleges and universities and companies including Stanford Business School, eBay, Yahoo!, Cisco, and Oracle.  As companies expanded across the United States, Bon Appétit was asked to move with them.
The Chefs
The Chefs found a tomato didn't taste like a tomato, and he let the chefs loose to source the food.  He asked the Chefs to create what they wanted.  Per Fedele, “It's important for the chefs to feel like entrepreneurs."
Values and Environment
In 1999, Fedele started Farm to Fork sourcing.  Bon Appétit's value system also expanded to a platform of cage-free eggs. The problem of overfishing and seeing the unsanitary, lice-infested farmed salmon conditions also impacted the menu choices. He also had concerns with how cows and pigs were raised in factory farming and inhumane conditions in the United States. Once Fedele learned how food impacts climate change emissions, he decided to work on the problem by reducing meat and cheese in its operations. He also wanted to ensure they were sourcing safe food, addressing human welfare of farmers across the United States, and changing the landscape of food services and industry best practices to provide fresh, healthy, and tasty food. He wants an apple that came off the tree yesterday and local, seasonal food that tastes wonderful. He also produces authentic ethnic food, including Italian, Greek, Japanese, and Indian, and a variety of vegetarian and vegan options.
Education
Per Fedele, "it's important that if you shift your brand and only do pieces of it, and it isn't in the fabric of the company, you're not setting the right example for the brand."  Bon Appétit operates the Circle of Responsibility Website, which features data on how food choices affect climate change and environment, the online Carbon Diet Calculator, and the Low Carbon Diet Facebook Quiz. The Environmental Page also includes the following questions: How are your food choices affecting climate change? What does your morning cup of coffee have to do with tropical songbirds? Did you know that in the U.S. more antibiotics are given to chickens than humans? How are your seafood choices affecting the oceans? In addition, Bon Appétit has educational table tents at their food service cafes, and representatives visit many companies and college campuses for educational talks.  They approach the discussions by stating what they're doing and ask what the audience can do.
Leadership and Awards
This week has brought Fedele more good news. In addition to the EDF Innovations Review 2009 announcement this week, the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) chose Fedele Bauccio, Bon Appétit CEO, as a Finalist in its first-ever sustainable food  ‘Growing Green’ awards. Michael Pollan and other food and agriculture notables are the judges, and the announcement is here.
Congratulations Fedele and your staff. You are a Leader taking your values and vision and positively transforming the food service industry, employee and customer experience, and the health and well-being of our environmental ecosystems and planet.
Photo: Courtesy of Bon Appétit
Updated news since the article ran:
1. Fedele Bauccio, Bon Appétit Management Company, was a recipient of the May 9, 2009 First Annual NRDC Growing Green Awards, and my article featuring the event and my interviews with Fedele Bauccio and Michael Pollan are here.
2. Bill Clinton also spoke on Earth Day at Fortune Brainstorm Green, and my article on his speech is here.

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