It wasn’t that long ago that the term environmentally friendly was a novelty label, one which businesses occasionally applied to their products in order to win the approval of a minority of socially conscious consumers.
Today the weight carried by the same term is incomparable as it is applied almost universally among progressive enterprises to a business philosophy, which is increasingly perceived as nothing less than a prerequisite for commercial survival.
Hew’s Sales Representative, Ian Bell and Sales Manager Christopher Samuels show off a range of green products. Photo: Submitted |
This was the message that came through loud and clear when Hews Hotel and Restaurant Supplies constructed its Green Zone at this year’s Cayman Culinary Society’s annual expo at the Grand Cayman Marriott earlier this month.
‘We’ve been making our product lines greener for a while now and so we wanted to do something special at this years show to demonstrate how the leisure and tourism industry can really help protect our environment,’ said Christopher Samuels, Sales Supervisor at Hews.
The local hotel and restaurant supplies experts responded to this challenge by assembling a dedicated ‘Green Zone’ at the trade show, a visitors’ retreat complete with green product line displays, a comfy eco-lounge, vibrant flora, fine fresh foods, natural stimuli designed to rouse the senses, and even a masseur on hand to knead away visitors’ daily stresses.
Mr. Samuels commented, ‘Everyone loved our green zone and the masseur was particularly popular! It was a great vehicle for raising awareness among Cayman’s hotels and restaurants of the wide range of green options available and the many benefits of adopting them.’
Visitors to Hews’ Green Zone were able to eat fresh fruit from biodegradable bowls, drink juice from 100 per cent compostable cups through straws made, not from traditional plastics but, from corn. Even Hews’ pens are made of natural wood and recycled paper products. After taking on a therapeutic massage to the soothing babble of running water, guests to the green zone left amply fed, watered, pampered and armed with the knowledge they need to go green.
The Hotel and Restaurant industry has traditionally been one of the worst offenders of crimes against the environment, with its huge energy consumption and significant levels of harmful chemicals and disposable waste output.
These days the industry is a prime example of a business sector, which has acknowledged that change is its mandate and that responsible business practices and environmentally friendly products and policies must be adopted to enable its continued survival. The growing importance of sustainable and eco-tourism, as well as pressure from governments and environmental groups the world over, is forcing the industry in to a transition, which will make it greener, leaner and altogether more viable.
Hews Hotel and Restaurants Supplies has embraced this evolution in its marketplace and moved swiftly to serve the changing demands of its customers.
‘The hotel and restaurant sector is a significant contributor to our country’s economy so it is vital that we are able to meet the changing demands of domestic and international leisure and tourism markets. We recognize that sustainable business practices and the adoption of green solutions are key components of the strategy, which will facilitate Cayman’s hotel and restaurant sector in achieving this,’ said the company’s Managing Director Joey Hew.
‘We must remember that the fragile natural environment of the Cayman Islands is particularly susceptible to harmful activity from industry so the future success of our tourism sector depends heavily on how well we protect it. We have to make green practices part of our every day lives, at home and at work.’
Hew’s ‘Green Zone’ was the only attraction of its kind at the Cayman Culinary Society’s annual event, which regularly features a live cook-off as well as ice carving and bartenders’ competitions. The event also serves as the platform from which the Cayman Islands’ National Culinary Team is selected to compete in the regional championships, where it has enjoyed considerable success. The Cayman Culinary Society was formed in 1989 to promote the islands’ Food & Beverage Industry, and its membership comprises many of Cayman’s most reputable professional chefs and industry representatives.
Hew’s Hotel and Restaurant Supplies has been serving Cayman’s hospitality industry for nearly four decades. It offers local hotels and restaurants an impressive array of products such as small wares, equipment, disposables and linens, and is dealer and distributor for some of the world’s most popular supplier brands.
For more information on Hew’s product range and green solutions for the hotel and restaurant industry, call 949 0055 or visit www.hewssupplies.com.
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