Operations

Ziggi's Coffee ditches plastic straws

Provided

October 22, 2020

Ziggi's Coffee is trading plastic straws for straws made with the agave plant, which is used to make tequila.

"As a company that utilizes plastics, we are taking steps and doing what we can to reduce the amount that goes back into our environment," Brandon Knudsen, co-founder and president of Ziggi's Coffee, said in a press release. "After implementing sip-through lids at all of our stores in 2018 — ahead of Starbucks, we are excited to offer a sustainable straw alternative to give customers eco-friendly options."

Americans use 500 million straws every day, according to Eco-Cycle, a non-profit recycler and zero waste organization. Those plastic straws, typically made from polypropylene, get broken down into "microplastics," which eventually end up contributing to a dire situation for oceans and the global environment.

Sourcing the new straws took several months, as the company looked at various types, including ones made from paper. Through testing, Knudsen says, they found that the agave straws, made by The Sustainable Agave Company, had a sturdiness similar to plastic that prevented it from breaking down over time and becoming soggy like paper straws.

"The quality of the agave straws is unparalleled. They are organic, gluten-free and can hold up in both hot and cold beverages," Knudsen said.

The company is beginning to phase out plastic straws from all its stores, which should be completed by the end of the year.

Ziggi's is based in Colorado and has 26 locations.