Robinsons Hotels and Resorts sets 30% plant-based menu target across all properties

Robinsons Hotels and Resorts (RHR), the Philippines’ largest homegrown hospitality group, has announced an impressive new sustainable food target:  aiming for 30% of menu offerings being plant-based across all of its 31 properties by 2029. With operations spanning 20 cities and serving millions of guests annually, Robinsons’ shift represents the largest-scale sustainable menu transformation so far in the country’s hospitality sector, setting a new benchmark for the industry while positioning the group to capture growing demand for sustainable dining options.

“Across all our brands, we see how guests are becoming more mindful of what they eat and how it impacts their health and the environment,” said Cecilia Jao-Padilla, Corporate Director of Food & Beverage at Robinsons Hotels and Resorts. “By committing to achieve 30% plant-based offerings across all RHR properties by 2029, we are taking a deliberate step toward modernizing Filipino hospitality through food. This goal empowers our chefs to innovate, explore local ingredients, and craft dishes that are not only delicious and culturally rooted, but also kinder to the planet.”

This groundbreaking commitment spans RHR’s extensive portfolio of 10 distinct brands operating nationwide, from flagship luxury properties including Fili Hotel and NUSTAR Hotel Cebu to upscale brands like Summit Hotels and Resorts, international partnerships including The Westin Manila, Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu, and Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, and Go Hotels, the country’s largest budget hotel chain with 17 strategic locations. The announcement reinforces RHR’s position as a national leader in sustainable hospitality while advancing the group’s long-term sustainability vision aligned with its “Hospitality by Heart” service ethos.

“RHR’s leadership demonstrates how the country’s largest Filipino hospitality group can drive meaningful sector-wide change,” said Marielle Lagulay, Sustainability Program Manager at Lever Foundation, which collaborated with RHR to develop its new policy. “Their commitment across 31 properties isn’t just good for business—it’s a reflection of their genuine commitment to their communities and the environment.”

Filipino consumers are increasingly prioritizing health-conscious and environmentally responsible dining choices when selecting hotels and restaurants. A national survey by APAC research firm GMO Research found that 85% of Filipinos believe restaurants, hotels, and retailers should serve more plant-based foods, with 80% more likely to patronize businesses that set clear goals to increase such offerings.

The commitment also creates economic development opportunities beyond RHR’s operations. By establishing sustained demand for plant-based ingredients at scale across 20 cities nationwide, RHR will support market development for local suppliers and potentially open new agricultural opportunities for Filipino farmers.

It also addresses multiple sustainability priorities simultaneously. Plant-based foods offer low cholesterol, high fiber, and nutrient-rich properties that significantly improve guest health outcomes. From an environmental perspective, research indicates that compared to animal proteins, plant proteins substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions while requiring far less land and water. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has also found that plant-based foods generate significantly less food waste than meat and dairy products.

By 2029, RHR’s commitment is expected to serve thousands of plant-based meals annually across its nationwide network, reducing the group’s environmental footprint while meeting evolving guest preferences and strengthening its competitive position in the Philippine hospitality market.