News & insights / Case studies / 27.08.25

Support Farmers and Fishers: Newrest Wagons-Lits

“At Newrest Wagons-Lits, we are committed to supporting local producers,” says Jean-Baptiste Bergamo, General Director. Their purchasing policy has a clear focus on building partnerships with French farmers and food producers, encouraging them to use raw materials sourced in France; the goal is for 90% of products to be grown or made within the country. “We believe that, by working hand-in-hand with producers, we can build a positive, ‘virtuous circle’ for the environment and promote agricultural expertise. This reduces our environmental footprint, empowers our stakeholders and offers customers local, fresh, seasonal products that are grown or raised using sustainable methods.”

Let’s explore how they go about this…

Bringing farmers and fishers on board

Newrest Wagons-Lits is careful to choose suppliers that match their high standards. “We aim for 100% of our suppliers to adhere to our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) charter to guarantee sustainable and ethical practices throughout our supply chain,” says Jean-Baptiste. To assess the policies of potential suppliers, they use several standards:

 Precisely defined and rigorous specifications, incorporating environmental and social commitments.
A sustainable purchasing policy that takes into consideration suppliers' policies regarding respect for workers' rights and support for the local economy.
Frequent audits with partners are conducted to ensure both product quality and ongoing compliance with environmental and social standards.

In return, Newrest Wagons-Lits provides suppliers with financial stability as well as visibility by prioritising long-term partnerships, committing to work with each producer for at least two menu cycles. Menus are updated three times a year to reflect the seasons, sourcing fresh ingredients when they’re at their best. “For example, we work year-round with a fruit purée producer, who provides us with recipes that change depending on the harvest and evolve according to weather conditions,” says Jean-Baptiste

The goal is always to establish fair and respectful partnerships, promoting equitable remuneration and mutual benefits. This extends to high-risk ingredients, too; for products like cocoa, coffee and sugar, where supply chains can be murkier, they rely on certifications to improve transparency. “For example, we use Monbana for certified organic chocolate and Illy with its B-Corp certification and label, which it awards to coffee producers who adhere to standards of quality and sustainability.”

Diversity and inclusion is another key consideration. “We value those who take concrete steps to integrate diversity into their teams, convinced that this promotes cohesion and performance,” says Jean-Baptiste. “The Newrest Group is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, and we expect our partners to share those values. All these standards are incorporated into our CSR charter and our supplier selection process.”

Jean-Baptiste shares some examples of partners they work with and their values and practices:

Les Producteurs d'Abord is a company created by the Gautier family, who produce and transform fruit. The family's goal is to enable fair payment for producers by sourcing locally while combating food waste by using downgraded fruit in their production. “At Newrest Wagons-Lits, we are committed to developing recipes that respect the seasonality of crops and to purchasing only the quantities produced, with no minimum production requirements.”
C’est qui le Patron ?! is a socially responsible brand that enables consumers to support producers by guaranteeing them fair remuneration. “We collaborate with C'est qui le patron ?! to promote French industries, encourage responsible consumption and play an active role in this initiative.”

Dammann Frères is a mission-driven company, recently awarded the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (Living Heritage Company) label, committed to responsible sourcing. It is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact and IFS certified, and implements rigorous sourcing with precise specifications and an annual evaluation of its suppliers. “We chose this partner for its high standards in terms of quality, traceability and sustainability.”

Supporting farmers and fishers: challenges and benefits

Ensuring that your procurement policy supports farmers, fishers and producers isn’t always easy. “It can sometimes be difficult to find suppliers who share our values and are able to meet our requirements while ensuring regular and sufficient production. Some factors, especially weather, also limit how much volume can be delivered,” says Jean-Baptiste. “Another major challenge is to find a balance between fair pay for producers and cost control, so that we can offer affordable prices to customers while ensuring the economic viability of our offerings.” He notes that increased support from governments and NGOs would be invaluable: things like “simplifying the administrative procedures required from farmers — particularly those converting to organic farming — and targeted subsidies to encourage sustainable agriculture.”

All of that said, the benefits make it worthwhile. “Supporting farmers is a strategic lever for Newrest Wagons-Lits, as it fulfils our commitments to our customers, our employees and the planet,” says Jean-Baptiste. “This enables us to promote our CSR initiatives through recognised assessments, reinforcing our credibility. It allows us to create sustainable partnerships based on trust and mutual understanding, and to promote diversity and inclusion by collaborating with partners committed against discrimination and promoting equal opportunities. By sourcing locally and limiting transport-related emissions, it also helps us to reduce our environmental impact.”

Newrest Wagons-Lits are justifiably proud of the work they continue to do in supporting producers through their sourcing practices, and the team is active about communicating this with both their teams and their customers. “Internally, we use our MyLink channel, our newsletter, our code of conduct, and the training we provide for purchasers on environmental and societal issues,” says Jean-Baptiste. When it comes to their customers, they offer an interactive map of France with a QR code that links to producer profiles. “We also create communication materials called ‘Your questions, our actions’, in which we answer the most frequently asked questions by sharing the concrete actions we’ve taken,” he says. Content about producers also appears on their LinkedIn and Instagram channels, and they go into greater detail in their annual CSR report.

Food Made Good at Newrest Wagons-Lits

Newrest Wagons-Lits recently completed their first Food Made Good evaluation, earning three stars for their strong and transparent sustainability commitments across all three pillars of the Standard. “The process is quite simple and similar to what we are already used to when answering questionnaires with an evidence-based system, such as EcoVadis,” says Jean-Baptiste. Newrest Wagons-Lits was awarded the EcoVadis gold medal in May 2025.

“We wanted to choose a reliable and trustworthy Standard recognised by our stakeholders within our ecosystem,” says Jean-Baptiste. “Thanks to our collective internal work on the Food Made Good questionnaire and our three-star certification, we are now reaffirming our position as a sustainable catering partner for our clients. The flexibility and precision in The SRA’s recommendations were really appreciated.”

Looking ahead, Newrest Wagons-Lits is keen to keep strengthening our support for producers and expanding their vision of sustainable sourcing. “We will continue to promote French producers whenever possible, while exploring partnerships with iconic companies related to the catering industry — such as Duralex, whose expertise in glassware will be highlighted on our next menu,” he says. “We want to keep evolving our CSR objectives by strengthening our commitments with our current and potential suppliers.”

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