Virgin Limited Edition is delighted to announce it has scored a three star global Food Made Good rating; the highest accolade from The Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA). It’s been an outstanding year for the collection and there’s even more reason to celebrate as 2016 saw Mont Rochelle and Mahali Mzuri receive their first accreditations. Virgin Limited Edition is now recognised as one of the leading sustainable hotel groups in the world and sits well above the global average on all 3 pillars that the SRA star ratings are ranked; sourcing, society, and environment.
Contrary to popular belief, luxury doesn’t have to come at the expense of sustainability, and at Virgin Limited Edition we’ve been working hard to make sure one doesn’t compromise the other. At first glance you might be forgiven for thinking these unique retreats would jeopardise a sustainable lifestyle; Babylon Restaurant at The Roof Gardens is 100ft above the busy streets of London, Necker Island is a private island situated in the British Virgin Islands, Kasbah Tamadot is a mountain retreat in Morocco, Ulusaba is a private game reserve in South Africa, The Lodge is a chalet in Switzerland, Mahali Mzuri is a tented safari camp in Kenya’s Maasai Mara eco-system and Mont Rochelle is a Hotel and Mountain Vineyard in Franschhoek, South Africa. At Virgin Limited Edition we don’t see problems though, we see opportunities and love any excuse to get creative!
We’re fortunate to be so close to nature at all of our properties; even Babylon restaurant sits above 1.5 acres of Gardens in Kensington, London! Our locations make our teams even more passionate about protecting the area they live in and supporting it in any way they can. We know just how important it is to take care of the environment, and we are extremely sensitive to the impact our properties may have on the local communities within which we operate, so every decision we make we think about the impact we are causing. This includes working to protect the wildlife and habitat as well as community projects. Mahali Mzuri received an exceptional 3 star accreditation in its first ever rating and was commending for scoring an impressive 87% in Society, its highest scoring pillar. The SRA recognised the emphasis the team places on improving the quality of life for people within the local community, as well as working to protect local wildlife and habitats.
Across the group we scored highly in sourcing seasonal produce, ethical meat and dairy as well as sustainable fish. Responsible marketing also scored very highly and is a reflection of our commitment to letting our team and guests know about what they are eating and where it has come from. When creating our menus our drive is ‘what’s in season?’, ‘what can we source locally?’ and ‘what is great quality?’ In its idyllic setting in the British Virgin Islands surrounded by beautiful crystal clear waters it is no surprise that Necker Island scored an impressive 100% for its use of ocean sustainable fish. Necker Island sources seasonally available fish from farms with sustainable certifications so guests can be assured of the freshest fish whilst being able to enjoy views of the stunning habitat. Kasbah Tamadot places special emphasis on sourcing local produce, even using local salt, herbs, olive oil and growing their own apples, vegetables and olives. Throughout the summer The Lodge makes the most of the apricots that are in season to make jam which sees them through the winter. The Lodge was this year shortlisted for the International Food Made Good Champion award and a video of their sustainable efforts, as well as their love of cheese, can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/mU1vpZ-s5dY
It doesn’t just stop at the food; Mont Rochelle is in a unique position to be able to serve a wide range of high quality wines from its own vineyard, as well as from nearby vineyards, supporting local businesses and economies. In London, Babylon makes use of freshly grown herbs from The Roof Gardens and uses local suppliers such as Sipsmiths Gin to create delicious cocktails.
Tristin Swales, Virgin Limited Edition Group Operations Director, said: “We are very happy with the results from this year’s Sustainable Restaurant Association Report. Given the unique location, menu and produce available at each of our properties, we are proud of our strong group-wide result.”
Andrew Stephen, Chief Executive of the SRA, said: “Virgin Limited Edition has proved that no matter where in the world a property is situated, it can deliver a sustainable and luxurious experience.”
For further information, please contact:
Charlotte Dollin
charlotte.dollin@virginlimitededition.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 8600 0468
or
Lauren Beaty
lauren.beaty@virginlimitededition.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 8600 0472
Virgin Limited Edition is an award-winning collection of unique retreats, chosen for their beautiful locations and magnificent surroundings; each offers a sense of fun, style, luxury and exceptional personal service. The group includes Necker Island in the Caribbean’s British Virgin Islands, Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in South Africa, The Roof Gardens and Babylon Restaurant in London; Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco, The Lodge in Verbier, Necker Belle, a 105 foot luxury catamaran, Mahali Mzuri, a tented safari camp in Kenya, Mont Rochelle Hotel and Mountain Vineyard in South Africa, and Son Bunyola Estate in Mallorca.
The Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) is a not for profit membership organisation helping restaurants become more sustainable and diners make more sustainable choices when dining out. We help our Members source food more sustainably, manage resources more efficiently and work more closely with their community. The SRA’s Food Made Good Sustainability Rating helps diners find restaurants that match their sustainability priorities.
www.thesra.org @the_SRA