Operations
Shake Shack testing plastic-free straws, cutlery
March 3, 2021
In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, Shake Shack is testing cutlery and straws made from AirCarbon, which has no synthetic plastics, PLA or synthetic glues, requires no food crops for production, and is home-compostable, soil-degradable and ocean-friendly, according to a company press release. Shake Shack is introducing the cutlery and straws at stores in West Hollywood and Long Beach in California, Madison Square Park and West Village in New York, and Miami Beach in Florida.
"Shake Shack has been committed to elevating the guest experience and taking care of our community since our early beginnings helping conserve Madison Square Park in New York City," Jeffrey Amoscato, Shake Shack's senior vice president of Supply Chain & Menu Innovation, said in the release. "We're always seeking new, innovative ways to become more sustainable as a business and continue our mission of Standing for Something Good, and that applies to the packaging and ingredients we use and their impact on our planet.
"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, the parent company of Restore Foodware, which launched the regenerative food ware made from AirCarbon in late 2020. "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."
Removing plastic water bottles, replacing with aluminum water bottles
Shake Shack's pilot program with Restore's AirCarbon cutlery and straws is one of many steps the New York-based brand is taking to reduce its waste footprint. Across the West Coast, from San Diego to Seattle, Shake Shack will also roll out aluminum water bottles to replace SHACK 2|O plastic water bottles at select locations. The bottles are 100% reusable, 100% recyclable and BPA-free with triple filtered 7.4 pH Spring water. Shake Shack will continue to evaluate its packaging program and seek out more sustainable solutions, according to the release.
Shake Shack has over 310 locations in 30 U.S. States and the District of Columbia as well as London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Philippines, Mexico, Istanbul, Dubai, Tokyo and Seoul.
