Royal Dutch Catering Association launches Fastservice Manifesto on behalf of 6 fastservice companies

In recent months, the Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN) fastservice working group, a group of six KHN members, has been working on a Fastservice Manifesto based on the motivation to contribute to a healthier food environment. In this manifesto, six companies, McDonald's Netherlands, KFC, Domino's, Bram Ladage, Kwalitaria and FHC Formulebeheer defined concrete ambitions to further increase their positive impact on product composition, varied offerings, children's marketing, establishment policy and communication in the coming years. 

Since the conclusion of the Prevention Accord in 2018, calls for a healthier food environment have intensified the public debate. Driven by a sense of responsibility and a shared ambition, a number of fastservice companies have joined forces to make a concrete contribution to a healthier food environment. Together with these members, KHN wants to have a voice in the debate through the Fastservice Manifesto, participate in concrete steps towards a healthier food environment and thus be part of the solution. The manifesto is a promise to the Netherlands, with the six leading fastservice companies committing to annually account for the progress of these promises.

In the run-up to the launch, discussions were held with various experts on the content of the manifesto and, based on these discussions, the content was further refined. The KHN fastservice working group sees the Fastservice Manifesto as a starting point for a long-term contribution to a healthier food environment. Many of the six companies have already taken concrete actions in recent years, for example in terms of salt or sugar reduction. Other companies are only just beginning to do so, thanks in part to the manifesto. KHN's aim is to further inspire the fast-service sector and make support for the manifesto as broad as possible. Other fastservice companies may join this manifesto via this link. In doing so, KHN wants to continue to work in continuous dialogue with stakeholders to further sharpen the manifesto and the actions taken by the various companies based on the manifesto.

According to Marijke Vuik, president of KHN, the manifesto is just the beginning: "For several years now, fast-service companies have been making efforts towards a healthier food environment. This only often happens under the radar. This manifesto is going to change that. Besides, it is not about words, but about actually making progress on the ambitions in the manifesto. The companies do this in their own way, as they differ in scale and size. But the common starting point is that they actively join hands to deliver on their promises and start reporting annually on the results achieved."

KHN also wants to talk to the parties currently working on a coalition agreement in The Hague about the Fastservice Manifesto. With that input, the manifesto will be improved. Vuik says: "We want to sit down with the forming parties. To them I ask: involve us in the further design of measures that deal with the healthier food environment. With joint efforts we will get further and the ambitions will be even better. What if we can work together with our chain partners and the government on a Prevention Agreement 2.0? An approach in which companies have the opportunity to innovate and take steps themselves and we motivate each other to actually take action."