Novotel Unveils Climate-Conscious Menus Across 600 Hotels Worldwide

Image Credit: Novotel

Novotel, the globally recognized hotel brand under the Accor group, has just rolled out two ambitious sustainable food policies that signal a shift in how its 600 hotels serve their guests and the planet worldwide. The two-pronged initiative aims to significantly expand plant-based menu offerings while phasing out seafood species at risk of extinction. It’s a bold move rooted in environmental urgency and culinary innovation.

At the heart of this strategy is what Novotel calls its Plant-Forward ambition. The goal? By 2026, every Novotel location will feature menus with at least 25% plant-based dishes. As of today, 39% of its properties already meet or exceed this target. That means there’s momentum, but also a clear mandate for growth.

And the plant-based offerings are far from generic. We’re talking about black lime tofu crafted at the stylish Bokan restaurant in Novotel Canary Wharf; a quinoa-chilli galette served at Ici&Là in Novotel Strasbourg Centre Halles; and a bright, zingy green paw paw salad plated at MOKU, nestled within the Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort. These thoughtful, globally inspired dishes—not afterthoughts—are designed to delight without compromise.

The science backs this push. In its landmark 2018 report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasized the necessity of transitioning toward sustainable diets. Lowering demand for high-carbon foods—particularly meat and certain seafood—is “key,” the report states, to curbing global warming to 1.5°C. Beyond that threshold lies a cascade of intensified climate risks: water scarcity, extreme heat, and prolonged droughts, affecting millions more lives.

But Novotel isn’t stopping with what’s on land. Its second policy, dubbed Sustainable Seafood Principles, targets the ocean. In collaboration with WWF France and its fisheries experts, Novotel has committed to removing 350 endangered seafood species from its menus by 2027.

The approach goes further than just omission. Hotels across the Novotel portfolio will also tighten their sourcing protocols. Wild-caught fish will need to be MSC-certified or locally and responsibly harvested. For farmed seafood—think shrimp or salmon—only products bearing organic or ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) certification will make the cut.

WWF France has equipped Novotel’s chefs, procurement teams, and food managers with the tools and training to implement these changes effectively. The NGO has created a comprehensive global training curriculum and continues to advise on seafood supply chain traceability.

Novotel’s global brand president, Jean-Yves Minet, said the business’s partnership with WWF is a “driving force” behind its ability to “take decisive action to protect our oceans”.

“Through their guidance and expertise, we can drive change at scale across our 600 hotels and more widely across the industry and communities we reach,” said Minet.

Already, this multi-year partnership is bearing fruit:

• A Fishery Improvement Project is underway in Kerala, India, and is expected to kick off in Q1 2025.

• A European seafood task force has been formed, gathering five major suppliers to boost sustainable sourcing and transparency.

• Over 1,000 hectares of Bonifacio's seabed are now under evaluation for the removal of abandoned fishing gear, a critical step in restoring marine ecosystems.

From reimagined menus to cleaner oceans, Novotel’s food policies represent more than corporate sustainability rhetoric—they're tangible, global steps in reshaping hospitality’s role in climate action.