Lush beauty brand is paving the way towards cruelty-free / meat-free events by offering an all vegan menu to guests.
Fresh handmade cosmetics company, Lush, embraced a fully vegan menu during its recent company-wide away day at Center Parcs, Woburn Forest. The two day event saw 150 delegates arrive at the dedicated conferences and events venue in the great outdoors for an activity-packed getaway.
This is not an uncommon catering request for Center Parcs’ Conferences and Events, which has reported growing demand for health-conscious and sustainable food options, with 86% of event enquiries now requesting vegetarian and vegan alternatives – up 10% from last year. Since reopening its doors in September 2022, The Venue at Woburn Forest, Center Parcs has already hosted a dozen of meat-free events.
Julia Green, Sales & Commercial Manager at Center Parcs’ Conferences and Events says, “The rise in popularity of meat-free corporate events indicates that F&B has shifted from being driven by personal choices and dietary requirements, towards being a business-led decision that supports ESG objectives. Choosing a sustainable venue and a meat-free menu is a simple way of sending a positive message to both employees, who increasingly choose their workplace based on sustainability credentials, and stakeholders.”
The nature-rich destination recently announced its ECOsmart Gold Venue accreditation, which among other things, rewards a sustainable approach to food-waste management and initiatives to reduce food miles, as well as access to fair-trade coffee and tea, ethically brewed beer, and carbon neutral and organic wine.
Meat-free event made easy with dishes prepared on site
Center Parcs uses its main galley kitchen located in The Venue, Woburn Forest’s brand-new dedicated conferences and events space, as well as a separate allergen kitchen which eliminates the risk of allergy contamination. Adjacent to the kitchens, Center Parcs’ hospitality staff can serve a 3-course meal to 600 people in hour and a half, and 400 for lunch in 45 minutes.
All food served by Center Parcs throughout Lush’s corporate getaway was fully vegan, including a buffet lunch served at The Venue, and their breakfast packs left in each lodge for groups to rustle up together in the morning.
Vegetarian and vegan food served throughout the event included: sweet potato and broccoli puttanesca, middle eastern vegetable wrap, vegetable kebabs, vegan nachos, vegan hot dogs, aubergine parmigiana, cauliflower pomegranate and pistachio salad, BBQ Quorn ribs and vegan cheesecake.
The beauty industry is making strides towards become more eco-conscious and ethical, and Lush is leading the way. Well-known for finding creative solutions to make a positive impact on the planet, like the invention of the first-ever solid shampoo bar, the cosmetics company is always taking steps to leave the world lusher.
Bronwen Lambert, Events Manager – Lush Cosmetics, says, “We chose Center Parcs as we wanted a venue that aligned with our goal to leave the world Lusher than we found it. Our delegates loved the venue and location and gave feedback that they really enjoyed the lodges and the food. Center Parcs were incredibly accommodating with our dietary needs by creating a bespoke fully vegan menu and breakfast hampers for our delegates. Overall we can’t thank the Center Parcs team enough for helping to facilitate an inspiring, engaging and dynamic event.”
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