6 EASY WAYS TO GO GREEN
Carbon offset credits are another controversial topic. While operators of all sizes use these — investing in solar, wind, and other “clean” energy sources to offset their own carbon emissions — some experts think this is a form of greenwashing because the operators don’t actually use solar or wind power firsthand. The Green Restaurant Association thinks that carbon offset credits are OK if done in conjunction with other sustainable practices. “The problem is with restaurants that say, ‘come to our carbon-neutral restaurant,’ and meanwhile there’s nothing sustainable on the menu, no energy or water efficiency,” Oshman said. “Operators get these renewable energy credits and carbon offset credits because they think it’s something good. But you should do it in addition to, not instead of.” GET ON THE SLIDING SCALE 6 Sustainability is a sliding scale, with operators on one side that are zero-waste composting masters that only use organic, local- ly sourced ingredients, and operators that want to start reducing their car- bon footprint without breaking the bank. Even using eco-friendly cleaning products and energy star equipment is a step up from doing nothing. “The reality is that with any large- scale societal problem, there is no silver bullet,” Oshman said. “There are many options, many sustainability certification levels. … There are lots of things restaurants can do, from replacing their petroleum candles with electric ones to using green pest control. Not everybody’s an expert in sustainable seafood. We don’t want people to get discouraged.” “If we take a holistic, comprehensive approach [to sustainability], then restaurants can absolutely save money.”
SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPIONS HOW THREE RESTAURANTS PUT ECO-FRIENDLY STRATEGIES INTO ACTION
Hannah’s Bretzel, Chicago Hannah’s Bretzel is a three-unit con - cept famous for its German sandwich- es made on authentic bretzel (pretzel) bread. Besides sandwiches, the brand is also known for its stringent sustain- ability practices. Hannah’s Bretzel composts or recycles almost every bit of waste that comes out of the restaurant, purchase credits from wind and solar power companies, and purchase biodegradable packaging. But the brand has perhaps become best- known for its electric Mini Cooper, which the company uses to make all of its food deliveries. While some of the brand’s eco- friendly investments end up costing the company more, Hannah’s Bretzel just charges about 30 cents extra per sandwich to offset those costs. Plus, the Mini Cooper saves the company money. “We saved about $9,000 in gas money, and we park it in a public parking garage where they have EV chargers,” founder Florian Pfahler said. “We basically operate that car for free, and the savings make up any anything I pay in other sustainability areas.” Besides saving money on gas, Hannah’s Bretzel’s sustainability practices have become a brand differentiator. The brand is known for its fresh bread, locally sourced ingredients, and ethical business decisions, which makes it a hit in the Chicago community. Neon Greens, St. Louis, Mo Build-your-own salad concept Neon Greens takes hyper-local sourcing to a whole new level. The vertically in - tegrated brand grows its own lettuce in a hydroponic farm right next door. The 80 different lettuce varietals are grown in container farms, and the en- tire contraption was installed in four hours using a 150-foot crane. “We are all about embracing radical transparency in food and piggybacking on the movement of people wanting to know more about where their food
comes from,” Neon Greens owner Josh Smith said. So, why lettuce? Smith said that freshly grown lettuce tastes “completely different” from store- bought lettuce and lasts a lot longer in the fridge, too. Lettuce is also the highest yielding and quickest growing produce the company could grow. While some of the other produce is local, items like citrus have to come from Florida, for example. Neon Greens only has one location for now, and Smith imagines it will be even easier to spread hyper-local lettuce farms to other locations due to the benefits of economy of scale. Conscious Hospitality Group, Seattle As sustainable seafood practices be- come more commonplace, how chal- lenging is it for a multi-unit restaurant group to purchase only sustainable seafood? According to Norman Wu, founder and CEO of 60-unit Conscious Hospitality Group — owner of Just Poke, Sugo Hand Roll Bar, and other brands — it has actually gotten easier as they’ve scaled and attracted more purchasing power. “From day one, everything we’ve done in the restaurant[s] is eco- friendly,” Wu said, adding that they compost, are plastic-free, and only use certifiably sourced fish in their poke bowls and other seafood dishes. “When we started, we reached out to every tuna vendor and put them through a rigorous vetting process asking about their exact certifications.” Once the company started growing, it became cheaper to both vet fish suppliers and make sure the company was investing in as many sustainable operations practices as possible. “Once you’re at scale, a compostable fork costs exact same as a plastic fork,” Wu said. While the company’s rigorous sourcing practices are not cheap, Wu added that their customers are willing to pay more knowing that they can trust in the ocean-to-plate journey.
—MICHAEL OSHMAN, CEO OF THE GREEN RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION
SUSTAINABILITY OUTLOOK 2025 12
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