Sustainability Outlook 2025

Here's how to get started on sustainability in a way that doesn’t break the bank.

THINK REUSABLE INSTEAD OF PLASTIC-FREE 1 While plastic-free biodegradable packaging can cost more upfront than traditional plastic clamshells and cutlery, a more cost-effective investment could be reusable packaging. Companies like DeliverZero offer solutions for a closed loop reusable packaging system, where operators dole out food in reusable containers, and customers return them after their meals. This year, dozens of larger restaurant chains like Starbucks and Dunkin’ joined a large-scale returnable beverage cup pilot program in partnership with NextGen Consortium in Petaluma, Calif. The trial allowed customers to borrow a cup and then return it at one of many return bins throughout the city. NextGen had another reusable cup challenge right before the pandemic, and Starbucks and Just Salad are among a few brands that have previously trialed reusable programs within their own companies. MAKE YOUR MENU GREENER 2 While most restaurants are not in a position to take meat entirely off the menu, adding some clearly labeled vegan and vegetarian options can be a good start. After all, meat and dairy production account for 14.5% of global greenhouse emissions, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. Americans are becoming more omnivorous, so adding plant-based menu items won’t just be appealing to a niche audience. A 2021 study by research firm One Poll found that 47% of Americans identify as flexitarian and want to eat more plant-based meals than meat-based ones. “Adding those items can bring in new customers, because you don't need to be a vegan restaurant to attract a vegan customer,” Oshman said. “Even by having 10 or 20% of the menu items be vegan or vegetarian, it can really strengthen your current consumer base, and all of a sudden get on the radar of consumers that might not have been coming to the restaurant before.” WASTE NOT, WANT NOT 3 Reducing food waste is another cost-savvy sustainability tactic for operators. Technology can lend a hand here. Compa - nies like PreciTaste and Choco offer smart food inventory management tools that can predict ingredient needs so that operators can cut supply costs. There are also low-tech options for avoiding food waste. Brandon Collins is a corporate executive chef for Unilever Food Solutions, the sustainability arm of the consumer goods company (Hellmann’s, Magnum ice cream) where he helps explore different ways for foodservice professionals to make more sustainable decisions. Food waste, he said, is one of the top ways a restaurant operator can reduce their carbon footprint, from using all parts of a raw ingredient to pickling leftover produce before it goes bad. “A prime example is a carrot — whenever a carrot comes into the kitchen, nine times out of 10, the first thing a chef will do is throw away the greens,” Collins said. “So that’s waste, and then if they order them pre-peeled, that’s more waste. But I could chop up the carrot head and make pesto, and I can turn the peels into carrot chips. It gives me so many more options than if I order them pre-peeled. This will cost me less money, and I’m not throwing away food.” REPLACE YOUR SPRAY VALVE 4 Sometimes, making a few tweaks to kitchen equipment can make all the difference when it comes to reducing energy costs and water usage. One of the simplest fixes is to replace the kitchen sink spray valve. According to Jeff Clarke, ex - pert exchange director with the National Restaurant Association, a classic spray valve uses about 1.28 gallons of water per minute, but more efficient spray valves can get the job done using 0.7 gallons of water per minute. Over the course of a five-year lifespan of the piece of equipment, this could save operators about $1,000 in water bills, Clarke said. “Spray valves are not terribly exciting — you’re not going to find a documentary on them, though you will find documentaries on solar power and electric vehicles,” Oshman said. “But they are an easy change, and they’re very inexpensive, and could save you lots of money.” AVOID GREENWASHING 5 Greenwashing — or misleading the public about your company’s sustainability practices — is a controversial topic, and there’s conflicting information on what exactly counts as greenwashing, and what does not. For example, composting is a very trendy sustainability initiative. But not all cities have robust composting programs, or if they do, products could be mislabeled as compostable, and compostable products could easily end up in landfills by mistake. That’s why the National Restaurant Association suggests operators do their homework before trying out a composting program. “You have to understand your local infrastructure, know what fees are associated with the composting [and] how does the recycling and composting play together,” Clarke said. “So to just jump in can be very difficult for operators, especially those with multiple locations.”

SUSTAINABILITY OUTLOOK 2025