graubündenVIVA
How a label connects the region
Thanks to the label graubündenVIVA / regio.garantie it becomes visible where ingredients and products come from. That it is worth being part of it and what it means to go through the process of certification, is something we know from the restaurant s’nani in Laax as well as the makers of Graubünden Vivonda.
Leading the way in the gastronomy
The «regio.garantie» label can be applied not only by food companies, but also by gastronomic establishments. The awarding of the label is regulated on a cantonal basis. In the Grisons, for example, the «alpinavera» association is responsible for the certification and the label is officially called «graubündenVIVA / regio.garantie». The restaurant s’nani in Laax was the very first one in Switzerland to be certified. And in doing so, it was noticed that the process has triggered much more than expected. «The regional restriction inspired the team to think about things in a new way and approach them creatively,», says Orlando Steiner of Quant AG, the company that operates the restaurant and is responsible for the certification process. At first, he says, it was quite a gamble.
«The hardest part was the first step of even thinking your way into it», Steiner says. Because, it restricts you when you get certified. «Especially food procurement is more complicated,» Steiner says. «We can’t just buy something at the nearest wholesaler, if we’re running out of something.» In a gastronomic business certified with the «graubündenVIVA / regio.garantie» label, at least 60 percent of the ingredients must come from the Grisons. Consistent and precise are also the requirements in terms of certification. For processed products, the following applies: At least 80 percent of the ingredients and two thirds of the added value must be cantonal.
Challenge: Fries from the canton Graubünden
The consistent focus on local products leads to exciting discussions at «s’nani». For example, the discussion about french fries – a must-have on the menu in a ski resort. It was discussed whether to do without them since there are no certified Grison fries in the wholesale trade. «In the meantime, we simply make them ourselves, from Grisons potatoes», says Steiner. «But interestingly due to the reorientation of the offerings, we hardly need fries anymore», knows Steiner.
A worthwhile effort?
Today, «s’nani» uses almost 100 percent products from the Grisons. Vegetables are preserved for the winter. Sugar is almost completely dispensed with, and honey is used instead. Of course, the producers sometimes shy away from the effort. Vivonda, which promotes the marketing of regional products in the Grisons, is aware of this. «We also support and help, for example, with the procurement of documentations», says Bablina Caprez. She sees the label as an opportunity for networking in the region.
At «s’nani», which is located in the Peaks Place Hotel in Laax, the certification has obviously paid off. Orlando Steiner: «Whereas in the past it was mainly hotel guests who came to the restaurant, today it is often locals or simply guests from the region. Word has spread that we have a special offer.»
Video message from s’nani
