Today, the focus for restaurants has shifted hugely to sourcing fresh, high quality and often eclectic locally grown organic ingredients to prepare new dishes with a twist. It’s fair to say that modern dining is far more competitive than ever before especially with pressure on restaurateurs and deli owners/supermarkets to be more environmentally aware.
There are huge numbers of restaurants popping up all over the UK and rivalry is fierce. This is another reason why many restaurants are turning their hand to becoming more environmentally friendly and using sustainable/biodegradable products where possible. There’s no doubt that doing this sends a clear, positive message to customers, one of caring for the environment and wanting to reduce the carbon footprint.
Customers are far more sophisticated than ever before, understanding the importance of environmentally friendly packaging and high quality ingredients in food, they know the differences between fresh or organic products than those manufactured in factory conditions. This is why customers are far more discerning in their restaurant choices with caring for the environment higher up on their list of importance.
If you are looking for a point of difference to set yourself apart from others it might be time to transform your restaurant business into one which is sustainable and environmentally friendly. Let Alliance help you in doing so. One of the first things you can do is take stock of your packaging materials and anything else you’re using which could easily be changed to environmentally friendly and sustainable materials. No longer are environmentally friendly or biodegradable materials unattractive, today there are plenty of interesting textures made out of bamboo and sugarcane for example – why not let your customers know what materials you choose to use?
It’s easy enough to source green packaging and the best place to start is on the Alliance website. If you offer deli service or a take-out operation you can easily find packaging which is kind to the environment. Look for packaging which will breakdown without emitting nasty fumes and where you can, something that is biodegradable so it is renewable. Shopping green sends a strong message to your customers, subconsciously it tells them you are interested in the environment they live in and you are concerned about the type of ingredients you use as well as how they are packaged.
Takeaway
Polypropylene is a good material to use because it is fully recyclable and has transparent properties so items such as deli containers from Alliance show off your salads or deli food perfectly while respecting the environment we live in. For sandwich bars and cafes, baguette bags with a film front are now totally biodegradable and St Neot’s sandwich wedges are fully compostable and biodegradable, made entirely from paper and sustainable plants.
Fast food restaurants no longer need to use high quantities of packaging either, there are plenty of exceptional biodegradable options too such as recyclable and biodegradable board boxes, ideal for burgers and chips and available on the Alliance website. For children, you’ll find a host of biodegradable animal design boxes, perfect for kids’ meals, not only are they fun to use they are kind to the world we live in.
There are also plenty of biodegradable cutlery options such as the Alliance products made out of Polylactic acid, they look superb and are exceptionally kind to the environment. Green packaging is attractive and keeps food extremely fresh, it is also relatively inexpensive, convenient and a positive step in keeping our world safe for the future.
Inside Your Restaurant
Environmentally friendly products extend much further than your takeaway packaging, they extend into your restaurant. Choose biodegradable straws for your customers’ drinks. Equally you could extend your environmentally friendly mix into your restrooms and select sustainable toilet roll made out of recycled paper, today it is softer and stronger than ever before.
Recycle
Your restaurant should also play a part in recycling. Make sure you have different dustbins in place and label them up so your staff know where to throw away waste. Encourage your employees to adopt your recycling program and where you can, re-use packaging if possible and hygienic. You could even extend your environmentally friendly policy to purchasing recycled furniture therefore keeping your costs low. As an example, you could upcycle your furniture and strip and paint it yourself.
Local Sourcing
Your environmentally friendly program extends beyond packaging materials and recycling, it also means sourcing your ingredients from suppliers who advocate sustainability. Seek out local suppliers and build a relationship with those who use organic and home-grown produce. Question where the meat and fish comes from, how it is packed and how the animals/fish/poultry are reared and killed.
Remember, fresh, local organic ingredients should help with transport costs because they come from your area, therefore they help reduce carbon footprint and boost your presence in the community. This will please customers who take a pride in their area. Cost these out carefully and once you’ve built a menu of positive ingredients make sure you highlight each on your menu so you are sharing your vision with your customers. This is a small part of advertising your efforts and don’t forget to shout about your environmentally friendly policies through your own website, social media and on and offline presence.
Having a completely sustainable and environmentally friendly business will make customers sit up and take notice so why not explore what’s available to you in your area? For packaging and other paper-based materials not to mention energy efficient appliances, the Alliance website has everything your environmentally friendly restaurant business could need.