Shake Shack has announced plans to trial the use of sustainable, biodegradable straws and utensils at its existing locations in West Hollywood and Long Beach in California, Madison Square Park and West Village in New York and Miami Beach in Florida , as well as at a new Shake Shack location in Santa Monica when it opens later in spring.
To that end, the fast casual has partnered with Restore Foodware, a manufacturer of cutlery and straws made from AirCarbon, a proprietary PHB bioplastics developed and produced by California-based Newlight Technologies, Restore Foodware’s parent company. “We’re always seeking new, innovative ways to become more sustainable as a business,” said Jeffrey Amoscato, Senior Vice President Supply Chain & Menu Innovation at Shake Shack.
AirCarbon is certified carbon-negative by Carbon Trust and SCS Global Services, requires no food crops for production and is home compostable, soil and marine degradable.
“Our mission is to help end the flow of plastics into the ocean for this generation by replacing them with materials that work for both people and the planet,” said Mark Herrema, CEO at Newlight Technologies. “We are thrilled to pilot Restore’s AirCarbon foodware with Shake Shack, who share a commitment to combining quality with sustainability so we can help our oceans heal.”
Shake Shack’s pilot program with Restore’s AirCarbon cutlery and straws is just one of the ways Shake Shack is working to reduce its waste footprint. The company also has plans to replace SHACK 2|O plastic water bottles with reusable aluminium bottles at a number of their locations along the West Coast of the US. In addition, the restaurant chain will continue to evaluate its packaging programme as well as actively engage with partners and vendors to seek out more sustainable solutions for the materials used in everything from building design to sourcing food and packaging.