Organic, social and fair-trade catering

A healthy, well-balanced diet is essential to guarantee a good level of performance. Responsible consumption of both products and suppliers is also essential to contribute to efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. With this in mind, EcoTrail Paris® has chosen to turn to committed players in order to offer a more responsible range of refreshments. In this series of articles, we'd like to highlight a new initiative set up as part of this 14th edition (July 3 and 4).

‍

Nutrition during a trail run is not something to be neglected. Like all endurance sports, trail running requires a great deal of energy. Depending on the course and the weather conditions on race day, each runner needs to eat and hydrate well to maintain a certain level of performance and avoid any discomfort. The EcoTrail Paris® organizers attach great importance to these refreshments. The food and beverages offered at the various refreshment points must be carefully selected to avoid endangering runners' health. At the same time, aware of the importance of food in the fight against global warming, this year's organization is committed to sourcing its supplies from committed suppliers. The products on offer will therefore be more responsible, more organic and more local.

Agro Sourcing adds value to its supply chains

A staple at feed zones, dried fruit is a veritable concentrate of energy and vitamins. In collaboration with Agro Sourcing, this year's EcoTrail Paris® is focusing on quality products, with a greater emphasis on eco-responsibility. "Agro Sourcing is a family-owned company founded in 2004. Fair trade as well as organic products are part of our DNA. We go to the four corners of the world to find dried fruit partners who share our ideology. We then accompany them through a rigorous quality process, to guarantee product quality. Today, we work with some forty dried fruit chains, and exclusively with our own producers. Twelve of these are already certified fair trade", explains Marie Garrec, Sales Manager at Agro Sourcing.

Dried fruit, your distance allies

Trail runners will be able to take advantage of a rigorously studied selection of products. On the menu: almonds from Spain, apricots and hazelnuts from Turkey, dates from Tunisia and banana cubes from Ecuador. Fruits selected for their benefits, their satisfying energy content and their high nutritional density. "We wanted to provide runners with dried fruit with a high nutritional content, to give them a boost over the kilometers. This selection was made jointly with the organizing team. We paid particular attention to the energy aspect, so as to provide the best for the competitor, whatever the route. We're delighted to be able to collaborate with an event capable of going so far in its eco-responsible approach. It really fits in with the image that Agro Sourcing wants to develop," she emphasizes.

A more responsible supply offer

EcoTrail Paris® has also turned to the Relais Vert Foundation to extend its sustainable consumption initiative. The Foundation's mission is to identify emerging eco-responsible solutions and make them available to organizers. To simplify the implementation of these actions, it worked hand-in-hand with EcoTrail Paris® to reduce the event's negative impact on the environment. "The Foundation identifies all the eco-responsible solutions that exist in different sectors, such as catering, purchasing and natural resources. We act as an intermediary between suppliers and organizers. We have therefore provided the EcoTrail Paris® with several solutions to suit their needs. We have targeted different products for runners' refreshments and put them in touch with a responsible coffee company. It's a real joint effort. There's a personalized follow-up from design to delivery. We focus above all on organic, French and local products," explains Julia Jaen, communications manager for Groupe Relais Vert.

To become an increasingly "green" organizer through ever more responsible refreshment stands. This is the real challenge of the EcoTrail Paris® over the years.