Eating out is difficult if you have food intolerances: the platform that unites all accommodation facilities that includes menus for customers with intolerances and allergies is born
From today, celiacs and lactose intolerants, already at the booking stage, can send the facility all the information on their dietary needs.
No more giving up travel, socializing and good food
According to the latest report to Parliament on celiac disease published by the Ministry of Health, 225.418 patients have been diagnosed with celiac disease, an increase of 11.000 compared to the previous year. Of these, nearly 400.000 are unaware of their celiac disease. Until a few years ago, being celiac was a serious problem : finding gluten- or lactose-free foods in the supermarket was extremely difficult, let alone restaurants or hotels where consuming a "tailor-made" meal was practically impossible.
“ Being celiac, I felt firsthand the need to be able to make a concrete contribution to solving this problem. Like me, many other people live or have lived with this condition with difficulty. Hence the idea of simplifying the lives of those who, just like me, a lifelong celiac, no longer give up travel, socializing, and finally even good food.” – says Ivan Silvestri , who, together with Lucia Viola , whom he met while studying for a master's degree just a few years ago, created Essenza Food & Travel . The first platform created to unite in a single portal all those accommodation facilities that can accommodate guests with food intolerances.
On the portal, thanks to dedicated sections, users and accommodation facilities can communicate and receive all the information regarding specific dietary needs in advance. Avoiding unpleasant mistakes or sacrifices, finally making a truly stress-free stay possible.
Continuous training, certification and gamification
Essenza Food & Travel offers all its staff an online training course , with practical tips to help them welcome guests safely and boost the confidence of guests with intolerances, celiac disease, and allergies. The video course is divided into four ten-minute lessons, after which participants must pass a final aptitude test to receive a certificate.
With the help of certification services for quality standards regarding hygiene and food safety, a set of rules has been drawn up with all the regulations that accommodation facilities must comply with to join the platform. Only then can they acquire the dedicated certification , called CeliacOK Certified.
Within the platform, the establishment will have a dedicated section available in both Italian and English. Photos and videos will describe the space, menu, and services offered. The added bonus? The opportunity to conduct a video interview explaining how gluten-free and intolerance-related matters are handled, putting prospective customers at ease with these needs.
On the user side, guests are encouraged to share their experience on social media, bookmark the property, and leave a review . For each action generated, they can accumulate points, which can be converted into free lunches, dinners, and stays.
Essenza Food, UNA Hotels & Resorts and WTB Hotels: together to offer a truly Italian gluten-free experience
The first group to join the project is Why The Best Hotels (WTB) : in their unique and elegant facilities, guests will be able to enjoy gluten-free and lactose-free breakfasts and be served by highly trained staff, always available to accommodate guests with special dietary requirements. “For WTB Hotels, customer service has always been a priority. Therefore, offering gluten-free and lactose-free products at breakfast was a must. What convinced me and led me to collaborate with Essenza Food is that it has allowed us and continues to allow our dining room staff to undergo training on the problems and risks of food intolerance and celiac disease. We can therefore safely serve gluten-free and lactose-free products and assist and welcome guests with confidence because they are properly trained ,” states Claudio Delli , General Manager.
The second is UNA Hotels & Resorts , the Group has also joined the project to make stays accessible and even more inclusive for those with food intolerances. Celiacs and those with intolerances will be able to stay in complete safety at UNA Group hotels, enjoying a reliable and, above all, certified service. 730 staff members have already completed the training, and 27 hotels are present on the platform.
"Gruppo UNA has always been sensitive and active in issues related to sustainability and inclusion. For this reason, the partnership with Essenza Food seemed like a natural fit to further improve our offerings for those suffering from these types of intolerances," explains Maurizio Montante , Head of the Food and Beverage Business Unit.
The partnership's primary goal is to empower all those affected by this unique condition to finally experience a truly celiac-free journey , ensuring proper management of the condition while also ensuring a high standard of quality.
Gluten-free artisan products: the inclusive e-commerce of Essenza Food & Travel
But if on the one hand we have seen how difficult it is for a celiac to leave their comfort zone and find a place different from those usually frequented, we cannot say that it is equally simple for accommodation facilities and their kitchens.
To address this need, in addition to training, Essenza Food & Travel offers an e-commerce site for artisanal gluten- and lactose-free products , which can be purchased directly from the portal. The products offered aren't the usual tried-and-tested offerings, but rather select and more sophisticated foods, from bread to desserts, classic pasta, and other specialty products.
To help not only individuals but also institutions, bringing them closer and supporting them with ever-higher-quality products. Eliminating any kind of sacrifice or distinction, equalizing the quality standards between those with and without intolerance.
Future goal: after Rome , Venice , and Florence, to cover the entire national and international market to provide the opportunity to book trained and certified facilities all over the world.
