Plant-Based Transitions in the Foodservice Industry-Case Studies

January 27, 2026
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These case studies show how four major foodservice providers are successfully scaling plant-based menus and what lessons they hold for Thailand’s foodservice sector. It draws on four international examples — Accor, IKEA, NYC Health + Hospitals, and Guckenheimer — each of which has set clear targets and adopted operational strategies to successfully increase the share of plant-based meals. 

Common success factors include time-bound commitments, chef and staff training, menu engineering, and data-driven approaches to reduce food waste and manage costs. These organisations also demonstrate how harnessing behavioural design, such as offering plant-based meals as default, can support higher uptake while maintaining customer satisfaction. 

Together, these examples highlight how plant-based transitions can deliver environmental benefits, operational efficiencies, and positive consumer outcomes, offering practical, business-relevant lessons for hotels, hospitals, restaurants, and corporate caterers. 

These studies can serve as a valuable model for Thailand’s foodservice industry, which has the potential to become a major regional hub for the plant-based transition. 

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