Serving healthy and organically sourced food is a key part of an organic restaurant’s strategy and reputation. However, various other practices can have reputational impacts on organic food establishments and should be considered by restaurant owners. We discuss these in more detail below:
Environment-friendly cleaning products
- Cleaning products are increasingly being blamed for indoor air pollution and water pollution. This results from harmful ingredients such as chlorine, ammonia, and caustic soda.Â
While sourcing green alternatives that are equally efficient can be challenging, organic restaurants must build a strong reputation by using eco-friendly cleaning products.
- Eco-friendly alternatives include citrus-based solvents, vinegar base cleaners, borax and baking soda for deep oven cleaning, and vegetable oil and water-based floor cleaners.
Waste reduction and efficient recyclingÂ
Waste reduction and efficient recycling is another crucial indicator of whether an organic restaurant is genuinely eco-friendly or not. Restaurant owners can take several steps to minimize their waste and improve their recycling process. These include:
- Providing customers with recyclable or compostable containers for takeaway
- Ensuring the use of plastic-based disposable utensils and cutlery is minimized.
- Investing in reusable items such as digital/chalk menu boards, silicone straws, and steel tea infusers.
- Purchasing items in bulk, with limited plastic packaging
- Offering customizable and top-up portions for customers to minimize food waste.
Inform your customers
Informing your customers is critical as going green and organic helps the environment, but it only helps the business if the customers know about your practices.Â
Effective marketing to place the brand as eco-friendly will help improve customers’ opinion of the brand, build loyalty, and generate more sales. Marketing strategies to push as an environmentally friendly establishment can include:
- Social media campaigns to highlight your efforts towards sustainability, waste reduction, and organic products.
- Hosting special events to celebrate and emphasize earth day and the business green efforts.
