EUROPEAN PARTY CATERER ASSOCIATIONEPCAS is dedicated to look after the interests of the European professional caterer.

Our goal is to offer European caterers a platform in which networking and knowledge sharing on mutual and current subjects are key issues.

3

PREFACECatering and hospitality perform important roles in our society. In our constantly changing world, the excitement about good food and drinks in a perfectly designed environment is paramount. The shared expertise between the European caterers proves to contribute time and time again to a strong and effective communication between caterers and their clients. Both on national as on European level, it is vital to share expertise and insights about concept and product development. Welcome to our culinary and inspiring world!

RUEDI BACHMANNEPCAS President

Hélène Baud - Traiteurs de France (National Association)“Traiteurs de France has chosen to join EPCAS for several reasons: We’re a domestic network joining an international network: a great opportunity to open our minds, get international awareness and develop a benchmark approach. A nice way to share Traiteurs de France values and learn from others through their best practices, knowledge sharing, friendliness, networking, current trends and topical subjects, sustainable development and corporate responsibility awareness… A new opportunity to convey and foster the Traiteurs de France image across our borders and defend the interests of our line of business.”

NETWORKINGBEST PRACTICES

EPCASBENCHMARK

EXPERTISE

COLLEAGUESHOSPITALITY

SHARINGCATERING

UNIQUENESSFOODSERVICE

OUT OF THE BOXLIKE-MINDED PEOPLE

EUROPEAN LEVEL

EXPERIENCES

B2BWORKSHOPS

INSIGH

TSKEYNOTE SPEAKERS

INTERNATIONAL

CONCEPTS

KNOWLEDGETRENDS

GLOBAL ISSUES

MEMBERSEXPERTS

COMMUNICATIONDEVELOPMENTS

JOINED FORCES

ROI

LOVE FOODHATE WASTE

ASSEMBLIES

RELATED BRANCHES

4

WHAT IS EPCAS?The European Party Caterer Association (EPCAS) was founded on the 23rd of January 2007 and is dedicated to looking after the interests of the European professional caterer.

FOUNDATION OF EPCASDuring the last decade, catering has changed from an individually based and a national and product oriented industry into a much more mature, supranational business. In the early years, several European countries started national catering associations, to join forces on common grounds. In the open-borders community of Europe it was only a matter of time before the national initiatives were succeeded by a European association, being EPCAS.

AIM OF EPCASEPCAS offers European caterers a platform in which networking and knowledge sharing on mutual and current subjects are key issues. We want to connect caterers with a current and reputable source for news, information, products, services and networking opportunities relevant to the industry. With this, EPCAS creates transparency within this line of business so that differences between regulations and legislation in the participating European countries can be addressed at the European Parliament.

• First European Association for Caterers• Representing over 15 countries across Europe

• Members• Committee of Related Branches• (Inter)National Associations• Collaboration Partners • Board & Advisory Council – experts from the catering industry

Artur Junqueira - Grupo Ibersol / Silva Carvalho Catering (Member)“As a catering operator we are member of EPCAS because we understand that we need to be in touch with operators from other countries. For us, being involved in EPCAS is important because sharing knowledge, best practices, problems and solutions with companies from all-over the world is essential to move our business forward. It’s also an opportunity to get in touch with similar companies and potential suppliers in order to discuss common issues that concern our line of business, find solutions and get inspiration to innovate.”

VISIONThe European caterers join forces in order to look after the interests across borders, and to influence European legislation in order to provide the best service to their customers.

MISSIONTo pursue a healthy catering industry in order to achieve an increased Return on Investment, by joining forces and by offering a platform to share knowledge and experience, on mutual and current subjects.

Charles Smith - At Your Service Group (CoRB)EPCAS is a refreshing forum for like-minded hospitality professionals where sharing ideas and contacts is at its centre. I always return to my business reinvigorated and with a clearer focus. It is my other business family.

5

6

SUMMER GENERAL ASSEMBLY COPENHAGEN

2012

7

EPCAS GOALS

1 2TO CREATE A PLATFORMfor large and medium exclusive

caterers on which the sharing of knowledge, experiences, best practices and developments (specifically organisational issues, staffing, turnover volume, financial management, local and international market situations, suppliers, etcetera) are main issues.

TO CREATE TRANSPARENCYin this line of business for participating

caterers by interpreting these data and sharing them. The topics are:• International trends;• Technical developments;• Improving relationships with other stake- holders within the catering industry.

3 TO DEVELOP A QUALITY LABELfor EPCAS participants which can be con-

veyed in their external communication, guaran-teeing external parties that they are dealing with a certified company.

4 TO MAP THE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION and influencing institutes for education and

the developments on the labour market, to in-crease numbers of schooled staff in Europe.

5 TO INFLUENCE EUROPEAN REGULATIONSin order to create a uniform and workable

European legislation for the areas that concern caterers.

6 TO JOIN FORCES TO REDUCE FOOD WASTEin the catering industry, by providing our

members with up to date information, and hands-on tips and tricks, regarding possibilities to work on this matter.

7 TO PROVIDE OUR MEMBERS WITH INSIGHTS in the developments in the industry, by

shining light on current issues and bringing in (branch) experts to share their knowledge.

Georg Broich - Broich Catering & Locations (Board Member)“If you want to set things in motion, you have to move your-self! The decision to found EPCAS was entirely consistent for me. Both for my head and my heart. Here I can exchange with the sector on an international level. From this platform, we have already changed a lot and we also have big plans for the future.”

8

WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?EPCAS offers a unique and extended network to exchange thoughts, do business and share knowledge, all in order to make for a stronger catering branch. It is the foundation of our organisation and is incorporated in everything that we do and express.

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF AN EPCAS MEMBERSHIP?

The EPCAS Advisory Council includes several top players within the industry, who are all specialized in their own

fields of expertise. The EPCAS Advisory Council members are available to coach

members.

Being able to use the ECPAS brand in external communications, which acts as quality label to external parties. In

order to guarantee the quality label and maintain the standard of EPCAS, all members

shall comply with the EPCAS Code of Conduct.

EPCAS Food Waste Initiative – EPCAS is creating awareness about Food Waste across Europe, especially

amongst members. We also provide extra knowledge on this topic, which the

members can take back and implement in their businesses.

EPCAS has created a questionnaire, the Quality EPCAS Monitor, to keep up with the issues, topics and challenges

that occupy the members in order to bringing certain topics up for discussion during

the Assemblies and providing valuable insights, knowledge and information where needed.

A strong social network – the network built up at EPCAS General Assemblies and FXE is invaluable to the growth of

a company. Being able to share know-ledge and expierences with like-minded

people is essential to gain perspective.

The possibility to attend two general assemblies per year where members receive the opportunity to network on

a professional and personal level, visit companies to learn new trends, and share

best practices, amongst others.

Xavier Fruy - Fruy Finest Food Catering (Member)“It is always great to see your business grow by sharing information with others. Sharing = multiplying”

9

OTHER BENEFITS OF BEING INVOLVED IN EPCAS

• Insights: After each assembly a management summary is spread amongst the members. Included in this summary are all the presentations given, a summary of the knowledge shared and the decisions made by the association.

• Exhibitions & Conventions; Through suppliers and collaboration partners, EPCAS members receive the opportunity to attend various conferences and exhibitions free of charge, such as the SIAL, Sirha, Foodservice Network Inter-national, etc.

• Collaboration Partners – HOTREC, FoodServiceEurope and the European Parliament are connected to EPCAS – and share their knowledge & insights.

• A secretariat that keeps track of what is happening in the industry, spots trends for the caterers which they may want to implement, and maintains an overview of the upcoming events of the industry such as the trade fairs.

• A Market Place on the website, where members of the Committee of Related Branches can publish special offers for EPCAS members.

• A company page on the EPCAS website where members can publish their own news, movies, photos and general company information. This page can be viewed by all visitors of the website.

• Anticipating on the War on Talent – the EMCup (the competition amongst European Hotel Management Schools) is intertwined with Food Executive Europe, connecting students with the hospitality industry and vice versa and as such building a bridge between schools/students and companies/employers.

• Knowledge to be gained for staff members by attending;• Food Executive Europe (FXE) – the management teams of the EPCAS members are invited to attend and gain

valuable ‘take-home-value’.• Summer General Assemblies – the chefs are invited to participate in the special chefs programme to exchange

and gain knowledge.

Warren Dietel - International Caterers Association/Puff ‘n Stuff Catering (Collaboration Partner & Advisory Council) “Connecting with interesting companies and professionals each coming from different cultures and experiences is of much added value to us. Everyone is willing to share and there is much to learn from EVERYONE! EPCAS members are bright and innovative… and also lots of fun to be around. Remaining stagnant is the kiss of death. You never know what will inspire your next big idea. EPCAS gives me the necessary push to think and approach my business differently. I now have an incredible network of catering friends from all over Europe. I know that if I have a need or require advice on a topic I have a network of incredible professionals I can call on for ideas and guidance. “

WorkingCommittees

FoodWaste

QEM

Raising awareness

on important issues

Collaboration Partners

Facts &Figures

Media & PR

OnlineTools

Marketing &Communication

Expertise

EPCAS STRUCTURE

EPCASOrganisation

(Inter)National

Associations UmbrellaOrganisations

Experts

Reciprocity

Linked to Industry Committee

of Related Branches

Board EPCAS

Association

AdvisoryCouncil

Secretariat

Coaching

SoundingBoard

Board EPCAS

Foundation

DeterminingCourseEPCAS

Daily Operational & Organisational

Tasks

Noud van den Boer - Koninklijke Van den Boer Groep (Member)“As a market leader in party-, event- and venue catering in The Netherlands and one of the larger European players in the field, the Royal Van den Boer Group has benefitted well from the EPCAS membership. It gave us a much better view of the European and worldwide market, best practices, players and developments in the field of party-, event- en venue catering. Meanwhile it gave us the opportunity to directly communicate with the other players in the market, personally as well as for several members of our management team. We feel it’s also our responsibility to share our company- and market information with foreign competitors to develop and increase professionalism of our sector.”

10

11

FOOD WASTE INITIATIVEWe strive to be sensible and aware regarding food waste, because we believe that “Wasting food is economically bad, environmentally wrong and morally, ethically unacceptable!”. For that reason the EPCAS Food Waste Initiative has been established.

The Food Waste Initiative consists of two components:• Best practices and information from leading members in food

waste reduction• With help of a Toolkit made for members

The EPCAS Food Waste Toolkit has been designed by the EPCAS Food Waste Steering Committee and Unile-ver Food Solutions. It has been developed to help the members reduce their food waste within their catering practices. The toolkit includes several attachments that help collect data and stimulate the staff members.

FOOD WASTE STEERING COMMITTEE

Pierre Smits – Koninklijke Van den Boer Groep Ruedi Bachmann – EPCAS President Peter Kandels – Ecolab Xavier Fruy – Fruy Finest Food Catering Stéphanie van Oorschot – EPCAS Secretariat

The three levels of the Food Waste Initiative:

GOLD FOOD WASTE PREVENTION

• Written plan on implementing measures

• Integrated procedure

SILVER FOOD WASTE AWARENESS

• Measure Food Waste• Provide figures in writing

BRONZE FOOD WASTE SENSITIVITY

• Brief staff yearly concerning Food Waste

• Sign EPCAS Code of Conduct

Photo: Maison van den Boer

12

WINTER GENERAL ASSEMBLY LAS VEGAS

2013

13

QUALITY EPCAS MONITORAs EPCAS we have the chance to professionalize our European branch. In order to be able to do this, we need to know what is happening with our members and what issues and topics keep them occupied, such as trends, new legislations and work-related challenges.

In the form of a questionnaire, named the Quality EPCAS Monitor (QEM), we gain insight in what keeps the members busy. We believe that the information retrieved from these questions, give a good reflection on current affairs in the catering industry, as a whole.

The QEM is based on one of the EPCAS objectives; to create transparency, especially concerning international trends, facts and figures, and technical developments. This also gives us, as association, the opportunity to support our members by bringing certain topics up for discussion during the Assemblies and providing valuable insights, knowledge and information where needed.

The goal is to expand to the rest of the market in a few years to bring a more correct picture of the branch, in the form of a benchmark.

‘The Quality EPCAS Monitor: Designed for caterers, by caterers’

Tom Ambaum - Neptunus (CoRB)“We have joined EPCAS since 3 years now, it’s a fantastic association. EPCAS is helping us by setting up relations with people in the catering industry, which is also our market.”

14

GENERAL ASSEMBLIESAll members are invited to attend the General Assemblies which take place two times per year; the Winter General Assembly in Maastricht, the Netherlands, and the Summer General Assembly in one of the EPCAS members’ countries.

WINTER GENERAL ASSEMBLY • Annually in Maastricht, the Netherlands During Food Executive Europe (FXE) (except 2013: Las Vegas)

SUMMER GENERAL ASSEMBLY• Hosted by one of our EPCAS members• Thun, Switzerland 2009• Düsseldorf, Germany 2010• Lisbon, Portugal 2011• Copenhagen, Denmark 2012• Pordenone, Italy 2013• Bucharest, Romania 2014• Milan, Italy 2015

During the General Assemblies, the members get together for several days to network in an informal setting, exchange knowledge & best practises, get updates about EPCAS, experience culture, spot new trends and of course enjoy great F&B, hotels and each other’s company.

After each General Assembly a management summary is shared amongst the members. Included in this summary are all the presentations given, a summary of the knowledge shared and the decisions made by the association.

Tina Færgemann - Kai Thor Catering (Member)“We have learned quite a lot from EPCAS. We already do a lot within our company, but still we can do better. After each Assembly, we take back our ‘homework’ and implement this!”

15

SUMMER GENERAL ASSEMBLY ITALY

2013

16

WINTER GENERAL ASSEMBLY MAASTRICHT

2014

17

FOOD EXECUTIVE EUROPEIn 2014, a new, exclusive event called Food Executive Europe (FXE) was launched. FXE is a ‘by invitation only’ event and the first of its kind organised solely for decision makers within the European hospitality industry, focusing on the foodservice, hotel, (hospitality management) education and catering segment.

It provides a platform for networks and associations, to encourage sharing and net-working with like-minded people. FXE is a truly inspiring event for every hospitality professional who believes in the added value of networking and knowledge sharing, and who is willing to step out of his comfort zone to experience innovations and business opportunities from other segments of hospitality. EPCAS is one of the initiating parties, together with Foodservice Network International, HotelloTOP and EMCup.

AN IMPORTANT THEME IN FXE IS:

Living together, now and in the future. In 2050, the world population will consist of 9 billion people. This means that we need to make changes now, in order to be ready for tomorrow! For this reason, we must find new ways to keep the world liveable for everyone. To underline the global problems even more, transnational cooperation is a necessity. We, as people and as industry, have a responsibility. We should be aware of the influence that we have on this planet and what the consequences of our actions are. What role does our industry play in this and what can we, as a branch, do?

THE AGENDA FOR THE FUTURE: THERE IS NO TIME TO WASTE!

HEALTH & CAREFOODWATER POWER POLLUTION CHANGING MARKETS EDUCATION

Tom Steffen - Steffen Traiteur (Member)“As a multi operations family business, we spend most of the year working IN our business instead of ON our business; our involvement in EPCAS helped us realise this.”

WWW.FOODEXECUTIVE.EU

18

SUMMER GENERAL ASSEMBLY BUCHAREST

2014

19

CONTACT INFORMATIONEPCAS HeadquartersChâteau Jerusalem Jeruzalemweg 26222 NG MaastrichtThe Netherlands

P. O. Box 4260 6202 WC Maastricht The Netherlands

T: +31 43 356 1091

F: +31 43 326 4263

www.epcas.eu

office@epcas.eu

@epcas1 #EPCAS

Sven Bodry - RAK Porcelain Europe (CoRB)“We can learn a lot from all of the needs of the mem-bers, caterers, so we can produce for those needs.”

CONNECTING EUROPEAN CATERERS SINCE 2007