OUR LOCA GOALS

WHY THIS GOAL AT LOCA:

we are optimists – not climate fanatics. We are lovers of life, ingredient enthusiasts, and hopeful craftsmen. We take joy in all the good the world has to offer, and our love for food and people will always guide us on the path toward more sustainable gastronomy.

A meal is only truly sustainable if it’s eaten – and every bite should taste amazing. Taste, joy of food, and happy guests are at the heart of everything we do. The guest experience is always our trump card. That means taste takes precedence over organic labels, CO₂ measurements, and local sourcing when quality isn’t up to our standards. Because if the taste isn’t right, it affects our most important measure of all: happy guests. That’s why we continuously measure, ask, and listen to our guests about their experience with us – and we set the bar high.

OUR MEASURABLE LOCA GOAL NO. 1: TASTE & CULINARY JOY– TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

Regardless of the concept, our goal is always to be best in class: At least 80% of our guests should report being happy or very happy with their visit. This goal should be maintained and ideally improved – but not necessarily to 100%. We don’t aim to please everyone; we aim to delight those who dare.

WHY THIS GOAL:

Denmark is an agricultural country – and we have some of the finest ingredients right on our doorstep. In fact, the farthest you can get from Copenhagen, as the crow flies, and still be in Denmark is only about 300 km. That’s why, at LOCA, we define local ingredients as those grown, raised, and processed within Denmark.

That’s why, at LOCA, we define local ingredients as those grown, raised, and processed within Denmark. For us, it simply makes sense to use Danish ingredients in Denmark – and to use them fresh and in season. It’s good for gastronomy, but it’s also good for Because the truth is, Danish agriculture is in deep crisis. If we don’t choose to buy Danish now, even at the higher price it costs to produce here, then within a few years we may no longer have a farming industry left within our borders.

As of 2025, the facts are:

• Only 1 in 4 vegetables on Danish plates is grown in Denmark
• 6 out of 10 open-field farms have closed in the past 15 years
• The EU average profit margin for vegetable producers is 29% – in Denmark, it’s just 9%
• The average farmer is 53 years old, and the average grower is 60 – with no new generation to take over

OUR MEASURABLE LOCA GOAL NO. 2: LOCAL INGREDIENTS – TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

At LOCA, we say it loud and clear: YES, PLEASE to Danish ingredients. We want there to be Danish farmers and producers in the future. That’s why, across all our businesses, our goal is that 60–90% of what we serve is grown, produced, and purchased locally in Denmark.

This goal should be maintained, but not necessarily increased. Firstly, because there are times of year when delicious Danish products simply aren’t available. And secondly, because we also wish to celebrate other countries for what they do best – like champagne from France, Iberian ham from Spain, or Fairtrade coffee from South and Central America.

WHY THIS GOAL:

We want to serve delicious food with as few artificial additives as possible – and absolutely no pesticides. Even in Denmark, that requires choosing organic products. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration’s pesticide report found traces of pesticides in 40–80% of conventionally grown fruit and vegetables.

By choosing organic, we aim to protect you, ourselves, and all our guests – but also our shared groundwater from chemical runoff, and to reduce the overall chemical burden on nature. That creates room for biodiversity, more plant species, more insects, and a richer birdlife.

OUR MEASURABLE LOCA GOAL NO. 3: ORGANIC– TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

The Danish Organic Dining Label (Det Økologiske Spisemærke) is Denmark’s only official certification scheme for sustainability. The label is awarded in bronze, silver, and gold – with silver given for 60–90% use of organic ingredients.

At LOCA, our goal has been for all our restaurants to achieve the silver label – and this goal was reached in 2025, when we proudly hold six silver-certified restaurants across the group.

In Denmark, there are around 12,600 eateries – but only 67 restaurants, including 34 in Copenhagen, hold a silver certification.

Going forward, LOCA will maintain our current silver labels and ensure that any new LOCA restaurant achieves one as well. Our goal is not to increase our organic share to gold, as we also want to continue working with good and responsible producers who, for various reasons, are not formally certified as organic.

WHY THIS GOAL:

Denmark is an agricultural country with a long tradition of eating meat. It’s part of our culture – and in the right quantity and quality, meat can be good not only for the plate but also for our health and biodiversity.

The right quantity and quality are key words, and at LOCA we choose more greens and less meat.

The meat we do serve – like our eggs and dairy products – must be of the highest quality. Just as importantly, it must come from animals that have lived a good life: wild in nature or with farmers who have given them space, bedding, and care.

In Denmark, there are both official and unofficial animal welfare labels, and we have chosen to combine them. At LOCA, we therefore define animal welfare as animals that have lived wild, been free-range, or are certified organic – or carry the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration’s “animal welfare hearts.”

There are no official statistics on how much “welfare meat” is consumed in Denmark, but Dyrenes Beskyttelse (The Danish Animal Protection Society) highlights that Danish agriculture is facing a genuine animal welfare crisis.

For example, half a million Danish laying hens still live in cages the size of an A4 sheet of paper, only about 1% of the 30 million pigs Denmark exports each year have had outdoor access, and just 30% of dairy cows ever graze on grass.

LOCA GOAL NO. 4: ANIMAL WELFARE – TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

At LOCA, we say YES PLEASE to meat, eggs, and dairy products in the right quantities, BUT we set high standards for animal welfare. Our goal now and in the future is therefore that a minimum of 60–90% of the meat and dairy products we use come from animal welfare sources. None of our eggs come from caged hens.

WHY THIS GOAL:

In Denmark, there is no general certification system for sustainable fishing. At LOCA, we have therefore chosen to focus on where and how our fish and shellfish are caught. We regard trawl, flyshooter, and bottom-scraping methods as less sustainable, and we avoid these in favor of better methods such as pots, handpicking, and responsible aquaculture. We also follow WWF’s Fish Guide as a benchmark for recommended fishing areas and species.

Our target is that at least 50% of our fish and shellfish come from nearby Danish waters. This goal has been achieved, and today between 60–90% of our seafood meets these criteria.

We would love to raise the percentage even further, but it has proven difficult to source the quantities we need at the desired sustainability level.

VORES MÅLBARE LOCA MÅL NR. 5. BÆREDYGTIGT FISKERI – I DAG OG I FREMTIDEN

WHY THIS GOAL:

Waste is just waste. Full stop.

It’s a waste of money, a waste of time, and a waste of our, your, and the world’s limited resources.

The right purchasing, logistics, and the chefs’ ability to use the whole ingredient – whether it’s a lamb, a lobster, or a carrot – are crucial in the fight against food waste. It should always be a friendly internal competition across our value chain: can we do a little better tomorrow?

Just as important as what comes onto the plate is what goes off it. Food is only sustainable if it is eaten, which is why we measure and weigh all our ingredients – from the kilos delivered at the door to the grams of leftovers leaving with the plates.

OUR MEASURABLE LOCA GOAL NO. 6: FOOD WASTE – TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

The definition of food waste is the disposal of food that could otherwise have been used, and therefore our goal is – and must remain – zero food waste, with composting of the final residues.

We know our food waste levels are already low, but we still lack precise methods to ensure accuracy in our measurements.

Our next goal is therefore to develop and implement reliable and consistent measuring methods.

WHY THIS GOAL:

Because we have the tools to change the course we are on – before it’s too late.

Temperatures are rising faster than ever before. The ice caps are melting, the oceans are dying, the Earth is turning barren, infertile, and uninhabitable – and inequality is growing.

Now is the time to turn words into action and reduce our CO₂ emissions. If we don’t, we will fail to prevent rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and the wave of climate refugees that follows.

We must keep global temperatures down, and if we are to have any realistic chance of staying below a 2°C average temperature increase, every citizen of the world – according to the UN’s climate panel, the IPCC – must emit no more than 2–3 tonnes of CO₂ per year by 2050.

In 2025, the average Dane emits about 13 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Concito).

Fortunately, it’s not too late – but the time is now to safeguard the future of our children and grandchildren.

OUR MEASURABLE LOCA GOAL NO. 7: OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT – TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

25% of Denmark’s greenhouse gas emissions come from the production and consumption of food. The Danish Ministry of Food estimates that this number can be reduced by as much as 68% – and we agree.

We record and track all our purchases, and therefore we know that in 2024 – across all LOCA kitchens – our average footprint was 2.05 kg CO₂ per kg of purchased ingredient.

For comparison, at opposite ends of the scale, 1 kg of cabbage produces 0.20 kg CO₂, while 1 kg of beef tenderloin produces 228 kg CO₂. Likewise, 1 kg of bananas produces about 1 kg CO₂.

Our food already leaves a very low carbon footprint, but in 2025 we initiated the accession process to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), committing LOCA to becoming carbon neutral no later than 2050.

WHY THIS GOAL:

Our chefs love fruits and vegetables for their flavours, colours, and textures, and they love the richness of the fields for the endless opportunities they offer to create wonderful tastes and dining experiences.

Taste and joy, however, are not the only things our chefs bring when transforming fruits and vegetables into delicious dishes. As a bonus effect, plant-based ingredients also reduce the meal’s CO₂ emissions while improving our overall health.

The official Danish dietary guidelines recommend – for general health – that we eat a varied and plant-rich diet with at least 600 grams of fruit and vegetables per day. The Danish Cancer Society emphasizes that eating fruit and vegetables helps prevent overweight, which is a risk factor for developing at least 15 different types of cancer.

Unfortunately, the trend is moving in the wrong direction. In 2025, only a little more than half of all Danes eat vegetables daily, and more than 52% of the population are now overweight.

OUR MEASURABLE LOCA GOAL NO. 8: ANIMAL VS. PLANT – TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

At LOCA, we want to help turn that trend in a positive direction – not through bans or preaching, but through chefs who cook so beautifully that angels could sing – using the season’s best plant-based ingredients.

Across all LOCA kitchens, we have already achieved our goal of composing menus where plant-based ingredients make up at least 60–90% of the plate, with the remaining part consisting of animal-based ingredients such as meat, eggs, and dairy products.

From here, we aim to maintain this goal – and increase it where it makes sense – but always with respect for our guests’ total dining experience and joy.

WHY THIS GOAL:

We go for that good gut feeling – quite literally. Our gut is closely connected to our emotions, and what we feed our body affects not only our physical wellbeing but also our mental state.

That’s why at LOCA – most naturally – we care deeply that what we serve is crafted with skill, made from scratch, and of course without ultra-processed ingredients that can upset the balance of the gut.

That’s our good gut feeling.

OUR MEASURABLE LOCA GOAL NO. 9: THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE GUT – TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

While we have always cooked from scratch and never used ultra-processed products in our kitchens, both general research and our own understanding of where and how to best support the intelligent gut are still at an early stage.

Going forward, we will develop management tools for our use and composition of:

• Saturated vs. unsaturated fats
• Fast (sugar) vs. complex carbohydrates (fibres)
• High-protein plant-based foods
• Fatty acids, amino acids, omega-3
• Superfoods
• Calories
• Fewer additives

The ultimate goal for the future is to collaborate with doctors and hospitals to develop health tests proving that by eating our food regularly – for example in our canteens – people become healthier, and perhaps even happier.

WHY THIS GOAL:

It is the people at LOCA who create the great dining experiences in our restaurants and canteens. They are the ones who bring atmosphere, flavour, and joy every single day. They are the heart of everything we do and everything we are.

We must, of course, take good care of them – both in the present and in the long term. We are in an industry that most leave before turning 40, and at LOCA we aim to provide education, development, and working conditions that give everyone both the desire and the opportunity to stay in the industry – and preferably at LOCA – even when starting a family and beyond age 50.

Community and solidarity create change – and together we will set new goals for sustainable gastronomy and sustainable workplaces, both now and in the future.

Together, we are LOCA.

OUR MEASURABLE LOCA GOAL NO. 10: HAPPY EMPLOYEES – TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

Our employees’ wellbeing is measured through a comprehensive Wellbeing Survey 1–2 times per year, and the overarching goal is that over 80 % of all LOCA staff report “thriving a lot” or “thriving very much” in their roles.

Less than 10 % may feel critical of their own wellbeing, and we have zero tolerance for harassment and bullying.

We also track goals and sub-goals for sick leave, seniority, age distribution, number of trainees, number of courses offered and educational programs, as well as internal promotions and recruitments.

We have achieved our 2025 sub-goals, and while we always aim for the highest possible employee wellbeing, we also recognize that LOCA is not for everyone – only for those who can and dare to challenge themselves and the status quo.

WHY THIS GOAL:

Fortunately, most Danes find it almost grotesque that this can even be a question, yet even in Denmark, we have not yet achieved full gender equality.

According to the UN, there are currently more CEOs in Denmark named Lars than there are female CEOs in total. Despite pressure from, among others, legislative changes, many men still consider it shameful to take as much – or more – parental leave than their female partners.

It is far worse in the world’s poorest countries, where oppression and an unequal distribution of resources leave girls and women to face an inhumane daily life and a frightening future.

Meanwhile, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that gender equality could reduce the number of hungry people worldwide by up to 150 million.

The only question we should be asking ourselves and each other is therefore not why, but how we ensure gender equality – both in Denmark and around the world.

OUR MEASURABLE LOCA GOAL NO. 11: GENDER EQUALITY – TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

We will do our part at LOCA, and as a company founded, owned, and led by women, we have all the motivation and incentives to promote gender equality within our own operations specifically, and in the world around us generally.

The shortage of female chefs and servers makes it difficult to practice equality with an equal number of men and women in our own organization.

Our effort toward quantitative gender equality at LOCA is therefore – going forward and at industry level – to ensure working conditions for chefs, servers, dishwashers, etc., making it attractive for both men and women to pursue a career in our sector.

Already, we naturally track both our gender distribution and our gender distribution in senior management at LOCA, with the goal that the industry will one day attract as many women as men, and that positions at all levels will one day be equally distributed between the genders.

WHY THIS GOAL:

Thoughts, intentions, and well-meaning words about equality are not enough. Action is required, and at a minimum, women and men must receive equal pay for equal work – yet even here, Denmark has not achieved full equality.

In fact, men in Denmark earn on average 12.3 % more than women. This is only slightly better than the European average Gender Pay Gap of 12.7 %.

OUR MEASURABLE LOCA GOAL NO. 12: EQUAL PAY – EQUAL GENDER – TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

In 2025, Statistics Denmark calculated this figure for LOCA for the first time as 4 %.

By comparison, the Gender Pay Gap in our industry as a whole is 6.7 % – both figures favoring men (VIVE, IDA).

We now need to analyze the reasons why LOCA also has a Gender Pay Gap, as our objective is naturally to pay equal pay for equal work, regardless of gender, nationality, or other differences among those performing the work.

WHY THIS GOAL:

We believe that every person is unique, each with their own unique contribution to the world. Diversity and inclusion are therefore more than just a given – they are a core value at LOCA.

We believe that by recruiting people with widely different backgrounds, personalities, and lifestyle choices, we expand our overall field of competence.

When we actively – and together – work to understand each other’s differences, and not least each other’s strengths, we promote both job satisfaction and efficiency in our organization.

We also believe in something as old-fashioned as equality and compassion – and therefore a love for all people, regardless of who they love, what they believe in, or what they look like.

OUR MEASURABLE LOCA GOAL NO. 13: DIVERSITY & INCLUSION – TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

“Diversity is a fact – inclusion is a choice”.

While we can actively recruit for greater diversity, our most important goal is that EVERYONE who works at LOCA also feels like part of LOCA.

We have zero tolerance for harassment and bullying.

Through our annual wellbeing surveys, we seek answers on whether everyone feels included. Because our differences create LOCA – and only together ARE we LOCA.

WHY THIS GOAL:

LOCA exists to make a difference – now and in the future – and a sustainable business starts with ourselves.

We must ensure the framework for a profitable and economically sustainable company across our various operations. A company that can survive independently in a competitive market and continue to make a positive difference for generations to come.

The path is paved with integrity and built on professionally managed businesses, with involvement of employees from operations in top management and the establishment of a culture-bearing ownership group among leading employees.

LOCA is not for sale, but must be carried forward by partners and co-owners who have their hands on the ball and, through their leadership, engagement, and enthusiasm, can pursue LOCA’s vision for many generations.

OUR MEASURABLE LOCA GOAL NO. 14: HERE COMES LOCA – TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

LOCA’s restaurants began as the acquisition of a turnaround project in 2019, and in 2020 Covid-19 hit, with Denmark partially or completely shutting down until 2022 – unfortunately with very limited support packages due to previous years’ negative operations.

In 2023, we successfully repaid all external debt taken on in connection with Covid-19, and in 2024 we achieved positive operations for LOCA as a whole across all businesses and business areas.

Today, LOCA is self-financing, and in 2025 we proudly received the Børsen Gazelle Award. Our growth strategy is not necessarily to become bigger, but always to become better and stronger.

Our strategy through 2030 is therefore to continue consolidating the company towards a healthy and strong foundation, with opportunities for long-term investments with this goal in mind.

WHY THIS GOAL:

For us, longevity is about creating meals that extend life – not only in years, but also in the quality of those years, for both body and soul. It is food that nourishes the body without weighing it down and that fosters connection between people, with the joy of food and shared meals.

Longevity is, in short, LOCA’s vision for both the individual and the world as a whole. At LOCA, we therefore dream of being more a lifestyle than a dining place – and more a movement than a business.

OUR MEASURABLE LOCA GOAL NO. 15: LONGEVITY – TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

With only a few years behind us, LOCA has just begun our long journey toward the good, long life – but we aim high.

Our ultimate goal is that people associate LOCA with the good, long life – and therefore choose us when selecting a new canteen, going out with friends, picking up their meal box, stopping for takeaway, or treating themselves at the best restaurant for two – or a large group.

WHY THIS GOAL:

People are and will remain the most important factor in creating a bright and sustainable future.

Skilled labor and the shortage of workers are already a major challenge in Denmark, and enrollment in vocational education is plummeting in favor of an academic career.

As an industry, we must ensure that our professions remain attractive in every comparison, so we can attract and retain the right people – both now and in the future.

This requires that we eliminate outdated traditions and cultures that scare people away from our professions. It also requires that we provide more attractive and competitive wages, education, and working conditions for the industry’s employees.

Economic sustainability is a major challenge for most skilled roles in the food industry – from agriculture to canteens and the restaurant sector. Many want to raise the bar for sustainability, both environmentally and socially, but with very low profit margins, it is often a challenging and risky ambition.

There is simply no financial room to invest in more sustainable ingredients or better wages and working conditions for the industry’s employees. Salaries are often the largest single cost in the price calculation of a menu, and profit margins disappear if wage costs rise without the ability to raise prices.

The consequence is low wages and too many hours compared to other professions, and the industry faces a serious shortage of both skilled and unskilled workers. Far too many leave the industry before turning 40, and too few choose to train as chefs or waiters – of these, only about a quarter are women.

We must act if we also want to continue to delight ourselves and our loved ones with all the joy and happiness that only professional chefs, waiters, and other food artisans can provide through great food and extraordinary dining experiences.

OUR MEASURABLE LOCA GOAL NO. 16: COLLABORATION – TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

We seek collaboration and partnerships, nationally and internationally, with those with whom we can jointly improve wages and working conditions in our industry.

We are therefore proud of our existing collaborations – not least with our suppliers – but also partnerships and networks including Landbrug & Fødevarer, Food Organisation of Denmark, MAD, Asnæs and Vangstrup, Planet Copenhagen, Hotel & Restaurantskolen, Basque Culinary Center, Parabera, and others.

WHY THIS GOAL:

Globally, the UN’s number one Sustainable Development Goal is to eradicate poverty. Several of the other UN goals, such as ending hunger, ensuring clean water, and improving general education and health, are supported as progress is made on this goal.

This may seem far removed from us in Denmark, but poverty is tackled through decent jobs and economic growth, especially where incomes are lowest. That is the case in the world’s poorest countries, and it is also where women are hit hardest due to lack of gender equality, access to resources and education, high child mortality, hunger, and climate disasters.

This inequality is something we, from one of the richest countries in the world, have a responsibility to address. The development and growth we enjoy today have come at a high price, leading to significant CO₂ emissions that have caused the planet’s temperature to rise faster than ever before.

Paradoxically, the consequences hit the world’s poorest and most vulnerable nations first and hardest.

OUR MEASURABLE LOCA GOAL NO. 17: GLOBAL GOALS & THE WORLD – TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

The richest 10% of the world’s population earn up to 40% of its total income. While very few have too much, far too many have far too little – and women are affected the most.

We must take action, and at LOCA we continually seek Danish and international partnerships for initiatives that contribute to economic growth, reduced inequality, and greater gender equality in the world’s poorest countries.

We are, among other things, a member of the Global Compact, committing us to actively work with its 10 principles regarding human rights, labor rights, the environment, anti-corruption, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

In 2021, we began a partnership with PlanBørnefonden to support their efforts to reduce inequality and promote gender equality in some of the world’s most vulnerable areas.

Through PlanBørnefonden, LOCA sponsors the education or improved living conditions of one girl in one of the world’s most vulnerable countries for every full-time employee we have in Denmark.

In 2025, LOCA supports 50 girls in the world’s poorest regions, and our goal will always be to help at least one girl for every full-time employee we have in Denmark.