Sustainability in the Food Industry

Why Sustainability in the Food Industry Is Important

Here are some statistics on the effects of sustainability in the food industry

• The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States estimates that food waste contributes to around 8% of man-made greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, and that nearly 30% of agricultural produce goes uneaten.
• Food production accounts for 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Throwaway culture is a major problem. Plastic created for single use only accounts for half of the plastic that is affecting our environment. Only 5% of plastic is recovered from what is produced.

So the food industry can play a big part in reversing current sustainability trends. Some of the key factors in determining the sustainability of a restaurant or food takeaway service are:

• The resources (land, water, energy) required to produce the food.
• How the meals are packaged.
• Food waste management.

Some of The Benefits of Sustainability in the Food Industry

There are benefits to sustainable food production in addition to combating climate change. 

Reduction in Health Care Costs

The foods that cause the lowest greenhouse gas emissions happen to also be the most nutritious. Eating a plant-based diet could save the lives of more than 10 million people a year.

Reduction in Harm to Animals

Food production is the largest factor threatening species with extinction. Switching to more resource-efficient plant food sources would result in a lot of lives saved.

Increased Land Availability

Over half of the world’s inhabitable land is used for agriculture. This could be reduced by 75% if everyone moved towards a plant-based diet. 

Some of the Ways What The Pitta Practices Sustainability

We are serious about the impact we have on our environment, and have developed practices and partnerships to minimise it.  

1. We Use Sustainable Packaging 

Over the years we have been reducing our plastic use as much as possible. We've replaced single-use with more Earth-friendly materials such as bagasse boxes made from sugarcane pulp. Our forks are made from wood and our branded bags made from easily recyclable paper.

2. We Train Staff on Energy Efficiency

We try to encourage lights being switched off when not in use, extra equipment off during quiet times and water to be used efficiently with minimal waste.

3. We Reuse Our Cooking Oil For Biofuel

We make sure that our used cooking oil doesn’t go to waste. That’s why we use companies with glowing sustainability practices that recycle waste oil and turn it into biofuel to be used again.

4. We Offer BYO Discount For Customers

Sustainable packaging is great, but NO packaging is even better! Our lovely customers get 10% off their order if they bring their own Tupperware.

5. We Use Environmentally Friendly Suppliers

We like to shop around! We’re always searching for the best eco-friendly energy companies, water suppliers and businesses to work with.

6. We’re Transparent About Our Emissions

Klimato is a company we use that helps restaurants reduce their climate impact from food by calculating carbon emissions for each dish and having it on display for customers to make climate-friendly choices.

7. We Work With Sustainable Companies That Do Cool Things

Two of our favourites are Toast who are combating food waste by using surplus bread to make delicious beer, and Fauna who donate profits to wildlife conservation charities.

8. We Avoid Food Waste

We are serious when it comes to food waste. Our teams are trained to know how to minimise waste and use only what is needed.  Our prep precision game is strong!

9. We’re 100% Vegan!

Eating a plant-based diet is said to be the number one way to help the planet by greatly reducing energy expenditure, reducing emissions and of course not causing harm to other living beings.

It's not too late to shift current food production and consumption patterns towards a sustainable future. What The Pitta is now one of a number of shops offering an ethical twist on a beloved classic. When you pop in to one of our stores, you can still enjoy all the taste but with the added satisfaction of knowing that you’re also helping to save the planet.