The aim of the research project is to obtain up-to-date and reliable data to describe Bavarian communal catering, in particular with regard to organically and/or regionally produced food. In addition, success factors, obstacles and challenges for the use of organically and regionally produced products in communal catering will be recorded. The results of the project are intended to support political actors in further supporting and expanding the use of organically and regionally produced food in communal catering in a targeted manner.

The project provides information on the status quo of Bavarian communal catering and focuses in particular on the use of organic and/or regionally produced food. The status quo analysis is divided into two parts: Firstly, an online survey is used to collect general structural data and key business figures on Bavarian communal catering. This is followed by a detailed structural analysis of the food qualities used (conventional goods, organically produced goods, regional goods, organic-regional goods) using delivery diaries.

The status quo survey is supplemented and specialised by qualitative analyses of potential success factors, obstacles and challenges in the use of organically and regionally produced products in communal catering. To this end, qualitative expert interviews will be conducted with relevant actors in the value chains of best practice examples in Bavaria. The results of the interviews, in combination with the quantitative data on the status quo of Bavarian communal catering, provide indications of how the use of organically and regionally produced food in Bavarian communal catering can be further supported and expanded in a targeted manner by political decision-makers.

The project is being carried out in cooperation with the Competence Centre for Nutrition (KErn) and the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL). The Fulda University of Applied Sciences is in charge of the first part of the status quo analysis (online survey) and, in cooperation with FiBL, the qualitative interviews with experts.