Making any business, but especially a food business, far more eco-friendly is an admirable goal and something everyone who owns a business should strive for. However, you are likely to find that doing it is a lot more difficult than it seems. To help you get started on what could be a difficult path, here are three things that you can do to make your business far more eco-friendly.
1. Use responsibly sourced ingredients for your dishes
Using responsibly sourced ingredients for your dishes can be something that, although it costs you more money, is likely to bring more customers to your business. There is quite a large appeal for eco-friendly companies in the UK, and one of the many areas that you can make your business far more eco-friendly is through preserving the environment around you.
You can do this by getting responsibly sourced fish, vegetables, and free-range meats. Not only will this ethical appeal encourage more people to eat your dishes, but it will also encourage younger and environmentally enthusiastic families to dine at your restaurant or food outlet.
2. Use compostable packaging for takeaway orders
Offering takeaways is an easy solution if your restaurant struggles with overcrowding issues. You will also get a lot of people coming in and wanting to eat outside in the warmer weather anyway. Having reusable plates and cups is all well and good, but you will need a sustainable alternative for those who want to eat completely elsewhere and not out of the front of your shop.
Compostable packaging might be the best way to help. These Kraft Trays can give your takeaway orders a more rustic look. They also improve presentation even when your customers are dining away from your cafe or restaurant. Not only does this create a different look for your business, but the packaging is 100% compostable. In addition, offering your customers 100% biodegradable wooden cutlery made from sustainably sourced renewal birch wood when they take their food away to eat is far more eco-friendly than plastic.
3. Make your shop more energy efficient
The next step is making your shop more energy efficient. You can do this by double or even triple glazing your windows and preserving heat, meaning you need less heating to keep your cafe or restaurant warm. You can invest in solar power and other renewable energies if you have access to them. You can even help by going down the route of digitalisation, so you will be creating less waste for your cafe or restaurant than you may have by using one-use products such as paper, pens, and pencils.
Giving pre-loved items and indoor furnishings a new lease of life, whether they are just repaired to look new or completely upcycled or repainted so that they look completely different. This can be something that can make your business stand out from the rest and therefore make it far more appealing to your customers. You can even use it as a selling technique and as a gimmick to make people more aware of your business as well as the eco-friendly goals you are trying to achieve.