Activities in the public catering sector

In early 2025, we carried out our first questionnaire survey amongst the managers of school canteens at primary and nursery schools run by the City of Brno. We sought to find out what proportion of their food the canteens sourced from local suppliers, what products they purchased, and what obstacles they encountered when using regional produce. 106 out of the 127 canteens approached took part in the survey, representing more than 80 per cent. We found that even then, approximately one-third to two-fifths of suppliers were local, and nearly 80 per cent of canteens would like to use regional produce more frequently. The canteens cited as the most common barriers primarily the lack of suppliers capable of providing the required quantities, the seasonal availability of certain products, or their higher price. The results therefore helped us to identify where to focus our future work.

One of the specific measures we took was to draw up a list of local suppliers, which we provided to the canteens. At the end of August 2026, we updated the list and expanded it to include new producers and product categories. We are also paying greater attention to organic producers.

We also followed up on the results of the questionnaire survey by engaging in practical collaboration with school canteen managers. We organised a joint meeting and a seminar focusing, for example, on food waste.

We also regularly organise cookery demonstrations and training sessions for managers and cooks. Another part of our work is the Good Practice Guide, which sets out practical experiences and recommendations for using local produce in school catering and is intended for school canteen managers, headteachers and teaching staff alike.

In the spring of 2026, we repeated the questionnaire survey amongst school canteens to find out whether their use of local food had changed since the first survey.

This time, we received responses from 83 school canteens. In 23 per cent of them, the use of local produce has increased compared with the previous year, and almost 40 per cent expect this proportion to rise further.

Most commonly, canteens source bread, potatoes and pork or poultry from local producers. Conversely, fish and fruit, for example, feature least frequently in their purchases.

Our latest initiative to date is a cookbook featuring recipes made with local ingredients for school canteens. We have compiled 15 recipes that combine a balanced diet suitable for children with the use of ingredients sourced from local producers.

Our aim is to gradually create the conditions that will make it easier for school canteens to source food from local producers. To this end, we are bringing together data and experience from canteens, local farmers and producers, as well as providing practical support directly to the kitchens.

We have also developed the kamdodavat.cz app for farmers and other producers, which helps connect local producers with potential customers.