The event industry, and by extension catering, was one of the hardest hit during the pandemic. With a ‘Stay at Home’ order enacted early on, and gatherings limited to 10 people, business evaporated almost overnight. It’s somewhat ironic then that Bridget Nannen, owner and founder of Greens Point Catering located in Longmont, reflects on the experience ‘with gratitude’. “Without a doubt, it was very, very challenging,” says Nannen. “But having been in business for more than 30 years, we experienced incredible support from our employees, our partners, our longstanding clients, and our community. We got through it with patience and determination.”
With events filling calendars once again, and employees returning to their offices, Greens Point is back in full swing bringing its passion for fresh food, impeccable presentation, and outstanding service to clients throughout the northern front range and as far west as Glenwood Springs.
Between back-of-the-house packaging, single-use foodservice items, and uneaten prepared food, catering businesses have a front-row seat to waste generation. Greens Point takes a comprehensive approach to assure every aspect of its business is managing waste responsibly.
On-site
The company sets events up for success from the get-go by meeting ahead of time with the venue to identify the types of waste that will be generated and how it will be managed logistically. On-site they use Western Disposal’s portable ‘trio’ stations. Clearly labeled for trash, recycling, and compostables, these sturdy but collapsible cardboard bins enable staff to easily sort waste for proper disposal.
Food Waste
Greens Point follows what is known as the Food Recovery Hierarchy for managing food waste. Source reduction is at the top, and with 30+ years of menu planning experience, Nannen’s team is precise in calculating required ingredient amounts, minimizing food waste at the source. Scraps generated in the prep process are fed to animals (they have a partnership with a local pig farmer) and anything left goes into the compost bin. Food donation sites in proximity to venues are identified ahead of time, and uneaten, untouched prepared food is dropped off after the event.
Single-Use
An increasing number of events are opting for reusable food service ware, but disposable, single-use is still widely used. Nannen notes that the cost of compostable plates, cups, and flatware has decreased considerably over the years, making those products an easy choice with little to no budget impact.
Training
Greens Point employs approximately 80 wait staff, many of whom have been with the company for years. Nonetheless, each event and venue are different, and staff is briefed beforehand to assure they understand the waste management plan.
Locally Sourced Food
As if running a burgeoning catering business isn’t enough, Bridget and her husband also run Fox Hill Farms where they grow “a little bit of everything” including the squash, beets, and edible flowers used to feed their guests. Additional produce, meats, and dairy are sourced from area farms.
Western Disposal has been Greens Point’s partner in responsibly managing their waste for more than 20 years. We couldn’t be more pleased to be saying welcome back!
