Copenhagen made public meals 84% organic—across 1,000+ kitchens—without spending more on food. The city shows that the fastest way to greener meals is to upskill cooks and use procurement as a market signal.
The bet
Hit 90% organic in public kitchens without raising budgets. Success would mean cleaner food, healthier meals, and a stronger organic market—funded by skills, not higher line items.
Skills over spend
- Thousands of cooks trained to cook from scratch, plan seasonal menus, and cut waste.
- Whole animals, in-house baking, and smarter prep replaced convenience foods.
- The motto: change “both saucepans and heads” to rebuild pride and meal quality.
Procurement as a lever
- Clear organic targets plus “market dialogue” with suppliers expanded reliable, diverse supply (including Halal organic meat).
- Consistent signals grew Denmark’s organic market and inspired a national grant programme so other cities could follow.
Results to copy
- 84% organic and climbing across 1,000+ municipal kitchens.
- Better meals, steady budgets, happier staff, and a stronger local organic supply chain.
- A replicable playbook for cities: train people, cut waste, cook whole foods, and use purchasing power to move markets.
Source: How Copenhagen’s public kitchens achieved 84% organic