B.I.O. HORECA NETWORK.

Why We’re Establishing the BIO HORECA Network

The BioDistrict was established by over 50 organic companies in the province of Cagliari and South Sardinia, and also includes agricultural organizations, environmental and consumer associations (Legambiente and Slow Food), cultural and tourism cooperatives, and green building operators.

The purpose is twofold: to spread organic farming and consumption of organic products while promoting and developing sustainable economic activities across all production sectors. Through various initiatives planned in this project, we aim to support farms in converting to organic farming while strengthening organic product consumption in our Region, particularly in the BioDistrict area (the Metropolitan area of Cagliari and the former province of Cagliari, now South Sardinia).

Another focus of the BioDistrict’s initiatives is to encourage more sustainable, ecological, and experiential tourism during the off-season; we want to attract more consumers to enjoy dining options with menus featuring at least some organic products.

The establishment of the BIOHORECA Network, an informal agreement between businesses involved in food service and hospitality, is a step in this direction, continuing with events like the BioFestival (first edition in September 2025) and organizing tourist packages with opportunities to visit/collaborate on activities at organic farms that are members of the BioDistrict.

The BIOHORECA Network is promoted, at no cost to members, by the South Sardinia and Sulcis Archipelago BioDistrict, which also organizes experiential and ecological tourism activities.

The BioDistrict will promote the BIOHORECA network through its website (currently under construction, to be online by the end of January) and in all information activities, both in Italy and abroad.

The Network has no commercial function and benefits from collaboration with LAORE Sardinia Agency, which has already established a registry of organic companies capable of supplying organic products to the food service industry, but we are all aware that more work is needed to increase organic production available in the local market.

BIO Horeca Network Statement of Intent

Purpose of the document
To define the structure, characteristics, and membership procedures for the Bio Ho.Re.Ca. Network.
Network Definition and Organization.
The Bio Ho.Re.Ca. Network is promoted by the South Sardinia and Sulcis Archipelago BioDistrict to promote organic agriculture and eco-sustainable activities in the territory in close relationship with consumers and to enhance short supply chain processes. The Bio Ho.Re.Ca. Network collaborates with the Regional Agency LAORE Sardinia.
The Network is organized informally and consists of companies that express in writing to the Board of Directors of the South Sardinia and Sulcis Archipelago BioDistrict their desire to join, and has a Coordinator appointed by the Board of Directors of the South Sardinia and Sulcis Archipelago BioDistrict. The Coordinator’s role is purely to represent the Network externally. The Coordinator position is unpaid and can be revoked by the Board of Directors of the South Sardinia and Sulcis Archipelago BioDistrict, at their sole discretion, if deemed necessary.

Members
Hotels, restaurants, businesses involved in food service and/or hospitality, distribution and/or catering companies, and public cafeterias operating in the South Sardinia and Sulcis Archipelago BioDistrict territory, as identified in the map attached to this document, and using organic products in their business activities can join the Bio Ho.Re.Ca. Network.

Membership Requirements.
Companies interested in joining the Bio Ho.Re.Ca. Network send their request to the Board of Directors by signing this Statement of Intent. For companies providing catering services and businesses involved in food service and/or hospitality (restaurants, hotels, B&Bs, etc.), it is mandatory to provide information about food service offerings using organic raw materials. Specifically:
for hotels, B&Bs, and other hospitality facilities, they must guarantee the availability of
organic products for breakfast
all facilities offering food service must guarantee at least one meal per week
with organic products, which must be indicated on the menu, or they must
indicate, in each day’s menu, the ingredients and/or raw materials certified as
organic.
The Board of Directors of the South Sardinia and Sulcis Archipelago BioDistrict may define, after consulting with member companies of the Network, additional membership requirements in response to new needs that may arise.

Operating Costs
No operating costs are planned for the first two years of activity (2025 and 2026) as the Network’s operating expenses are covered by the South Sardinia and Sulcis Archipelago BioDistrict Monitoring. The activity of monitoring compliance with the requirements specified in the previous point is carried out by a dedicated Certification Body identified by the Board of Directors of the South Sardinia and Sulcis Archipelago BioDistrict from among Certification Bodies accredited by MASAF under EU regulation 848/2018

Promotion and Enhancement.
The Bio Ho.Re.Ca. Network is promoted by the South Sardinia and Sulcis Archipelago BioDistrict in all its activities related to the Network’s purpose. Specifically, the South Sardinia and Sulcis Archipelago BioDistrict website dedicates a specific web page with the following sections:
1. Hotels
2. B&Bs
3. Other accommodation facilities
4. Restaurants
5. Organic public cafeterias
6. Organic product distributors and catering
For each company/facility, a description, photos, and offered products and services are included. All companies/facilities that are members of the Bio Ho.Re.Ca. Network of the South Sardinia and Sulcis Archipelago BioDistrict, if they have a company website, dedicate space to the Bio Ho.Re.Ca. Network.