Burger King® announced it is launching a green packaging pilot program focused on finding scalable solutions for eight of the most-used, guest-facing items including forks, spoons, knives, straws, drink lids, Frypods®, Whopper® wrappers, and napkins.
The packaging will be tested in 51 company-owned restaurants in Miami and will utilize alternative materials such as renewable unbleached virgin paperboard (Frypods®); cPLA plant-based plastic (cutlery); and 100% recycled fiber napkins. The company will also test paper and plant-based straws along with strawless lids, potentially eliminating up to 500 million single-use plastic straws annually from participating U.S. Burger King® restaurants.
Two new options for Whopper® sandwich wraps will be tested, a 13% and 34% reduction in paper compared to previous wraps, respectively. This could translate to an additional 500 to 1,500 metric tons of paper waste eliminated annually across the U.S.
“Sustainable packaging is a cornerstone of our Restaurant Brands for Good journey, and this new pilot represents a huge opportunity for us to make a difference,” said Matthew Banton, head of innovation and sustainability, Burger King®. “We’re optimistic about our progress and are committed to reducing waste to do our part in creating a more sustainable future.”
“By piloting solutions in restaurants, we can get direct feedback from guests on how the packages perform, make iterative changes with our supplier, and build an implementation roadmap for the system. Upon completion of the pilot test, we will take the learnings and guest feedback to inform our plans for nationwide sustainable packaging in the next year. This pilot gives us the opportunity to gain knowledge and provide learnings for the industry while getting us one step closer towards our goal of advancing packaging sustainability by improving materials and reducing overall packaging used, including single-use plastics.”
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Burger King® is also continuing to develop its global partnership with Loop to reduce single-use packaging through reusables by including two new cities, Paris and London, in addition to the earlier announced target cities of New York, Portland, and Tokyo. Further partnerships with the Coca-Cola Company and Kraft Heinz will leverage combined size and resources to provide insights, packaging expertise, and resources on these pilots, helping to maximize future national potential.
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“We continue to innovate and rethink how consumers enjoy Coca-Cola beverages. We are excited to partner with Burger King® to offer a reusable packaging alternative for their guests,” said Barry Danckert, vice president, Global RBI Customer Team, The Coca-Cola Company. “This effort supports The Coca-Cola Company’s World Without Waste initiative and virgin plastic reduction goal.”
“Burger King® has been leading the charge in foodservice sustainability and Kraft Heinz is excited to partner with them and Loop to offer reusable packaging around the world. Global companies and global brands have the power to help shape the world for good and Kraft Heinz is committed to a better future with responsible recycling and reusable initiatives,” said Peter Hall, president, U.S. Away from Home, Kraft Heinz.
To learn more about Restaurant Brands for Good and sustainability commitments and progress from Burger King®, visit bk.com/sustainability.
