Tabletop Trends Viewpoint: sustainability
Viewpoint: Sustainability
Improving sustainability is one of the most urgent issues facing businesses in the foodservice sector right now. Tabletop Trends talked to three major LET suppliers, Denby, Grunwerg and Lifetime Brands, about the impact the drive for sustainability is having on the market.
According to Dean Barlow, operations director at Denby, customers are increasingly keen to know about their suppliers' commitment to sustainability and the environment, in all areas of their business practices. Grunwerg’s marketing manager Jessica Wragg adds, “There has been an increase in customers making more eco-conscious purchasing decisions, leading to a rise in demand for sustainable products.”
“Demand for sustainably thought-through products and services is strong in the HoReCa sector,” says Claire Budgen, commercial & marketing director at Lifetime Brands. “It’s also coupled with the desire for quality products that will last the distance.” Dean agrees , “'Buy well, buy once' resonates as strongly with today's sustainability-conscious hospitality venues looking for quality as it did with hotel kitchens and coffee houses back in Denby’s early days,” he says.
Longer lasting products are more sustainable. Claire says, “All our ceramics are vitrified and as such are some of the most durable dinnerware available, and we offer a lifetime chip warranty. For example, our Mikasa Hospitality range has a dedicated team to ensure each product meets industry standards. From sourcing the very best materials for the job (with sustainability in mind), to design and rigorous testing; this new range has been put through its paces.”
Much new product development is focused on sustainability. Jessica says, “Grunwerg recently launched our new Greenworks Collection. It features cutlery and kitchen knives manufactured using post-consumer and post-industrial rPET [recycled PET] plastics to minimise the environmental impact and help close the recycling loop.”
Customers ae increasingly interested in the sustainability of suppliers’ manufacturing and logistics processes. “We are continuously reviewing the materials we use in our existing and new products as well as the way things are packed. All our new products use plastic free packing materials,” she adds.
Dean says that sustainability and care for the environment are inherent parts of all Denby’s processes and management decisions, with initiatives ranging from the recycling of all water, glaze and clay in processing, to intelligent lighting systems, recyclable packaging, team PPE and uniforms made from recycled plastic bottles. “Denby is fortunate in that it has always used local stoneware clay and produces its own glazes, so has always been able to control production processes more easily for sustainability” he says. “We have cross-departmental teams focused on ensuring that sustainability remains at the heart of our operations.” The company became the first UK tableware manufacturer to have zero process waste to landfill several years ago, while recently it opened an on-site solar array that reduces CO2 emissions substantially and supplies 40% of its electricity needs. “Ranges such as the Kiln Collections in particular epitomise our strong belief in creating ceramics which customers feel good about using, whilst also being kinder to the Earth.”
Claire says that everything at the Lifetime Brands warehouse has been thought through sustainably. “Bubble wrap alternatives and our void fill paper are recyclable, biodegradable and made from 100% recycled paper. All waste card and shrink wrap from our warehouse operations is also recycled.”
Several suppliers support green charities to underline their commitment to sustainability. For example, Lifetime Brands has partnered with Earthly, supporting three climate-change-reversing, carbon-busting projects, and the company offsets its shipping emissions through donations to these initiatives.
All three companies agree that transparency is vital when it comes to the sustainability message. ‘Green washing’ has led to customers taking a more critical and educated look at suppliers’ environmental statements. Clarity and the ability to back up any claims are essential.
What about the future? “We believe customers will look to purchase products which have a better longevity to increase sustainability, as well as being manufactured from sustainable materials, such as recycled plastics and metals,” says Jessica. Dean agrees: “Sustainability and care for the environment should now form part of the DNA of any business, from manufacturers and suppliers to the end user,” he says. “Demand for sustainable products is only going to grow, from every sector, which is why Lifetime Brands has made this such a key part of our growth and development now,” says Claire.
However, Jessica sounds a note of caution. “It’s good that dealers and operators are now asking these questions. But using recycled materials and plastic free packaging can actually be more expensive than using virgin materials and plastic packaging. Customers are still price conscious, and it costs more money to be ecofriendly.”
Even so, manufacturers and customers are sure to carry on trying to lessen their environmental impact. The simple truth is, sustainability is vital for all our futures.
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This article is part of Tabletop Trends - FEA's quarterly light equipment and tableware sector newsletter.
Tabletop Trends is produced and distributed by the Foodservice Equipment Association, the UK's largest independent foodservice equipment trade association. All suppliers listed in this article are FEA members. A full list of Light Equipment and Table suppliers can be found on our Meet Our Members section - simply select Light Equipment / Food Prep from the Product Type drop down menu
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