Rational plants trees as a ‘thank you’ to dealers

Collaboration with FEA and Trees for Cities will help offset dealers’ carbon footprint

Rational has teamed up with the Foodservice Equipment Association (FEA) and the charity Trees for Cities to plant trees on behalf of its network of DEAL dealers in order to help offset their carbon footprint.

2020 has been an extremely challenging year for everyone, especially those involved in the hospitality industry and its supply chain.  Rational launched the latest models of its market leading cooking systems just as lockdown was brought in to help control the Covid-19 pandemic. The iCombi Pro combi steamer and the iVario Pro multifunctional cooking system represent significant advances in efficiency and flexibility compared to the previous models, and required Rational’s accredited DEAL dealer partners, who were also operating under extreme restrictions, to undertake detailed product training to get quickly up to speed.

“Despite these obstacles, the DEAL dealers were eager to learn about the new equipment and rose to the challenge,” says Simon Lohse, managing director of Rational UK.  “They played an integral role bringing these innovative launches to customers in some of the most trying conditions ever experienced.”

The latest Rational cooking systems also represent significant advances in sustainability – for example, the iCombi Pro delivers up to 50% higher productivity, 10% shorter cooking time and 10% lower energy consumption compared to its predecessor model.  Meanwhile the iVario offers up to 40 % lower energy consumption and up to 70 % lower water consumption, compared to conventional appliances.

“Sustainability is a key focus both for Rational and for our DEAL dealers,” says Lohse.  “The dealers really helped us drive that message into the market.  That’s why we decided to link with the FEA’s Trees for Cities initiative.  By planting trees together, we are helping support a better future.”

In fact, Rational UK has planted 470 trees with the FEA Trees for Cities initiative. This equates to offsetting 210 tonnes of carbon dioxide over a one hundred year life cycle of a tree.  “These trees represent Rational’s and our DEAL dealers’ commitment to sustainability, and will also help the dealers offset their carbon footprints,” says Lohse.  “Reducing the effects of man-made climate change will require serious efforts and long-term thinking, which is why we are proud to support an initiative such as this.”