Mélina Facchin 08:17, December 26, 2022

After two difficult years due to the health crisis, activity is resuming for caterers.

This is particularly the case for the Éventail group, in Alsace, which should see its turnover go up, to reach that of 2019. But the resurgence of the virus, inflation and the cost of energy continue to harm to the sector.

After the Christmas meal, many are already thinking of the New Year's meal. And those who don't like to cook can always order, quite simply.

Which is good news for caterers who have lived through two very complicated years because of the Covid.

Activity is finally resuming for the sector, even if all the lights are not yet green.

Covid and inflation continue to harm the sector

In the kitchens of the caterers of the Éventail group in Vendenheim in Alsace, we are busy.

The end-of-year celebrations are the big time of activity.

Jean-Jacques Mahr, president of the group, had not experienced this for two years.

“2020 and 2021 were very complicated years. Over the two years, we lost around 60 to 70% of turnover”, he explains.

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This year should be similar to 2019, but still, he could have done better.

“At the end of the year, we are experiencing two phenomena. The first: the resurgence of the virus, our customers are becoming cautious again. For example, we have a hospital which canceled a service for 800 people for us”, underlines the president of the group. of caterers at the microphone of Europe 1. "And the second: inflation. We have many companies which prefer this year to give a gift certificate to their employees rather than to organize a Christmas party."

Not to mention the rise in raw materials.

And Jean-Jacques Mahr fears the increase in energy prices at the start of 2023. "On January 1, my energy cost will be multiplied by four", he worries.

An increase that corresponds to almost 3% of its turnover.