Shake Shack today announced a pilot and introduction of sustainable AirCarbon cutlery and straws from Restore Foodware at select Shake Shack locations in the U.S. The pilot is part of the company’s mission to Stand for Something Good, from its commitment to delivering an elevated guest experience and sourcing premium ingredients to supporting and investing in people and communities around the world. The straws and cutlery will be available across all guest ordering services including walk-up window, drive-up window, curbside pickup, in-Shack pickup shelves and delivery.

 

A collaboration with a company focused on restoring our oceans 

Shake Shack is introducing AirCarbon cutlery and straws at select locations by joining forces with Restore Foodware. The company launched the world’s first natural and regenerative foodware made from AirCarbon in late 2020, a biomaterial certified carbon-negative by Carbon Trust and SCS Global Services, showing it reduces  the amount of carbon in the air through production. As a natural material, AirCarbon contains no synthetic plastics, PLA or synthetic glues, requires no food crops for production and is home compostable, soil degradable and ocean-friendly, degrading naturally if it ends up in the environment. Shake Shack locations in West Hollywood and Long Beach in California, Madison Square Park and West Village in New York and Miami Beach in Florida will pilot the AirCarbon cutlery and straws, along with a new Shake Shack location in Santa Monica when it opens this spring.

 “Shake Shack has been committed to elevating the guest experience and taking care of our community since our early beginnings helping conserve Madison Square Park in New York City,” says Jeffrey Amoscato, Senior Vice President Supply Chain & Menu Innovation. “We’re always seeking new, innovative ways to become more sustainable as a business and continue our mission of Standing for Something Good, and that applies to the packaging and ingredients we use and their impact on our planet. By working with change-making products in the industry, like Restore’s AirCarbon cutlery and straws, we will be able to learn and apply more environmentally friendly solutions to our operations now and over time.” 

“Our mission is to help end the flow of plastics into the ocean for this generation by replacing them with materials that work for both people and the planet,” says Mark Herrema, CEO at Newlight Technologies, the parent company of Restore Foodware. “We are thrilled to pilot Restore’s AirCarbon foodware with Shake Shack, who share a commitment to combining quality with sustainability so we can help our oceans heal.”

 

Removing plastic water bottles, and replacing with aluminum water bottles 

Shake Shack’s pilot program with Restore’s AirCarbon cutlery and straws is one of many steps Shake Shack is taking to reduce their waste footprint. Across the West Coast, from San Diego to Seattle, Shake Shack will also roll out new aluminum water bottles to replace SHACK 2|O plastic water bottles at select locations. Shake Shack’s new aluminum water bottles are 100% reusable, 100% recyclable and BPA free with triple filtered 7.4 pH Spring water. Shake Shack will continue to evaluate its packaging program and seek out more sustainable solutions.

 

Ongoing steps to become a more sustainable business

Over the years, Shake Shack has been focused on ways to become more sustainable by working with like-minded partners and vendors for the materials used in building design to sourcing food and packaging.

• All Shack locations have an eco-friendly connection such as furniture and structures using reclaimed bowling alley lanes, chairs designed using sustainable materials and booths that are crafted using lumber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
• The company works nationally with Niman Ranch, who like Shake Shack are committed to having a positive impact on the environment and preserving land for future generations. In California, Shake Shack sources beef from local farm Richards Grassfed Beef, a five-generation family operation with more than 6,600 acres of foothill countryside with beautiful oaks, pine and madrone trees focused on regenerative agriculture.
• Around the country, the company is committed to reducing unnecessary packaging materials. Recycled materials are used in paper packaging, and beer and shake cups are made from renewable resources. Delivery bags are produced from 100% post-consumer waste paper instead of traditional unsealed handle bags, which are now produced from virgin paper. This converted 8,016,750 bags using virgin paper or 1,237,786 lbs. to bags produced from recycled paper. The company has also reduced its overall use of plastic across operations and delivery by 40% YOY.
• Shake Shack is a proud member of 1% for the Planet, which means 1% of every SHACK 2|O water bottle sold supports the Waterkeeper Alliance and the cleanup of water sources around the globe.