Alongside conservation, Chester Zoo has sustainability at its forefront. The future depends on the sustainable work we do today and the Food & Beverage team are conscious that every little effort counts.
Sustainability is a key driver for making decisions within Food & Beverage at Chester Zoo. The supply of produce is fundamental, and this begins with sourcing food that meets sustainable and welfare standards. These key accreditations ensure the food supplied meets expectations of our guests, animal welfare and the environment.
- We share the Soil Association‘s ethos of healthy and sustainable food. Preparing our meals from scratch gives us more control over what goes into our food.
- We work closely with the RSPO to promote the growth and use of sustainable palm oil products.
- Our meat and milk is Red Tractor Accredited – meaning its British and fully traceable back to the farm.
- We proudly support the MSC‘s efforts to protect oceans and safeguard seafood supplies for the future. All fish on our menu meets sustainable fishing standards and is traceable.
Each of our menus has allergy friendly dishes to meet the needs of guests with dietary restrictions and our Food for Life menus are always free from harmful additives and preservatives.
Rewards & Recognition
Our children’s menu was placed second in the 2018 ‘Out to Lunch’ survey, and awarded third in 2019. This survey’s aims were to rank the UK’s most popular visitor attractions in accordance to the healthy food options they have available to children and families.
We work alongside the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) to ensure all palm oil used in our dishes is certified sustainable. In 2019 we went a step further by spearheading the campaign for local businesses to join us and become the World’s first ‘Sustainable Palm Oil City’.
Find out more about sustainable palm oil
Chester Zoo’s commitment to sustainability does not end with the food we source and serve. During 2018, the Food & Beverage department removed over 2 million pieces of plastic from our operation. The removal of single use plastic is one of our top priorities – we are constantly looking for plastic free alternatives to the products we have on site with the aim to remove as many as possible in the most sustainable way.
Find out more about our WONDERFUL zoo and all of the incredible animals, plants and FUN things to do here. Download our app or PDF map to help plan you day and find your way around when you get here.