Burger King U.S. Launches Green Packaging Pilot Program, Expands Loop Reusables Test

In a recent announcement, fast-food giant Burger King U.S. is testing sustainable alternatives for its cutlery, straws, drink lids, frypods, Whopper wrappers and napkins and will be further expanding its Loop reusables testing program through its partnership with The Coca-Cola Company and Kraft Heinz.

Burger King U.S. has launched a green packaging pilot program to create scalable solutions for eight of its most used items like Frypods that are developed with renewable unbleached virgin paperboard; cutlery created with cPLA, a plant-based plastic; and napkins made out of 100% recycled fiber that will be tested in 51 of its restaurants in Miami.

In addition, the company will test paper and plant-based straws along with strawless lids in an effort to phase out up to 500 million single-use plastic straws every year from all its participating restaurants in the country. This would mean that 910 metric tons of GHGs per year would be eliminated which is the equivalent of 196 vehicles driven for a year.

For Burger King’s Whopper sandwich wraps, the company will test two new options that translate into a 13% and 34% reduction in the paper compared to previous wraps that could help eliminate 500 to 1,500 metric tons of paper waste annually across the country.

In a press release seen by Green Queen, head of innovation and sustainability at Burger King, Matthew Banton, said: “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. We’re optimistic about our progress and are committed to reducing waste to do our part in creating a more sustainable future.”

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

Matthew Banton, head of innovation and sustainability, Burger King

Once these solutions are available for patrons to test, Burger King will use the feedback from consumers and accordingly improve the products and its overall alternative packaging system to launch these solutions on a larger scale next year.

Following its partnership with circular packaging startup Loop in October of last year to pilot reusable packaging for items like the Whopper and drinks, the fast food giant plans to expand its solutions from existing locations like New York City, Portland, and Tokyo to Paris and London. To help facilitate this, the fast-food giant will be joining hands with the Coca-Cola Company and Kraft Heinz and will use all the firm’s resources, insights and packaging expertise to maximize the national potential of these solutions in the future.

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

Peter Hall, president, U.S. Away From Home, Kraft Heinz

Vice president, Global RBI Customer Team of The Coca-Cola Company, Barry Danckert said that the team is always innovating and rethunking how consumers enjoy Coca-Cola beverages. “We are excited to partner with Burger King to offer a reusable packaging alternative for their guests. 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,” concluded Peter Hall, president, U.S. Away From Home, Kraft Heinz.

Several companies, supermarkets and governments are innovating and thinking of sustainable alternatives and solutions to end single-use plastic packaging, for instance, recently, as part of an environmental bill, French grocery chains will be switching to food refill stations in an effort to completely end the use of disposable plastic packaging and even major brands like Unilever, PepsiCo and Colgate-Palmolive will be discussing ways on implement circular solutions for olastic and packaging with biotechs such as LanzaTech and Modern Meadow in an upcoming two-day virtual Rethinking Materials conference that will be held between May 19-20.

Read: Olive: How This Startup Wants To End Single-Use Packaging From Your Online Shopping

Lead image courtesy of Burger King.