May 31st, 2018
Fast food chain Freshii is set to introduce a full range of compostable packaging and cutlery in its restaurants around Ireland.
Starting this summer, the company aims to keep its promise of becoming the greenest fast food chain in Ireland and has encouraged all local suppliers to join their vision.
Freshii first opened in Canada in 2005 and now has 14 outlets around Ireland, ten of which are in Dublin.
Almost every food container used in Freshii will be fully compostable and made from the likes of plant fibres which degrade into the earth in six to eight weeks.
All the cutlery, straws and lids from coffee cups are made with polylactide (PLA) which is derived from vegetable scratches.
According to Freshii, the cups will decompose in six to eight weeks and leave no trace metals behind.
The company will provide compostable bins in store so that customers can dispose of the item correctly.
Freshii will also join the Conscious Cup campaign and encourage customers to bring their own reusable cups for coffee or tea with the offer of a 20c discount as an incentive. The chain also plans to start selling reusable cups in their restaurants.
Freshii Mission Green launch (l to r) Cormac Manning, CFO Freshii Ireland, Mr Timmy Dooley TD, Fianna Fail S, Dave O’Donoghue, CEO Freshii Ireland, and Green Party Councillor Mr Ciaran Cuffe Photo: Freshii
Dave O’Donoghue, the CEO of Freshii told The Green News that customers who wish to use their own reusable food containers are also more than welcome to do so as long as the containers are clean and free of food contamination.
Mr O’Donoghue said that the company is also working on joining forces with politicians to have more public recyclable bins set up across the country.
Mr O’Donoghue said: “We are committed to being kind to the earth by eliminating traditional fast food practices. We are making efforts to decrease our carbon footprint and ensure we are operating an environmentally friendly business.”
He added that he hopes other Irish companies will follow Freshii’s lead and provide compost bins in the offices so that employees can dispose of their compostable packaging and cutlery correctly.
Cormac Manning, Freshii’s Chief Financial Officer, added a challenge still remains to eliminate non-recyclable packaging from providers such as aluminium cans and potato crisp bags.
Mr Manning said that he would like to stop selling such items in the store, but there is still demand from customers.
The company, he said, is working however to find suppliers that would join Freshii in their vision and produce products in recyclable packaging.
Mr Timmy Dooley TD, Fianna Fail Spokesperson for the Environment & Natural Resources, said at the launch that he is delighted seeing Freshii leading the way for other businesses with their range of compostable packaging and cutlery.
Like many Irish people I’m a dashboard diner who travel miles around the country and I believe it’s very important that food preparation and packaging is sympathetic to the environment – I’m really delighted to see Freshii leading the way with their range of compostable packaging and cutlery,” he said.
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