Eatery goes green
BEING environmentally friendly is no mean feat in today’s two-minute noodles fast-paced world.
And this is especially true if you are in the food business.
Consumers are increasingly demanding high quality as-soon-as-you-can, and most times with no regard for the environment. Think, food packaging. While the majority of restaurants and fast food outlets remain fixated on styrofoam containers and plastic bags, there are a growing number that have taken the bull by its horns and gone completely green.
And one of the proponents of environmentally friendly food and packaging is a vegan restaurant called Propolis.
Nestled in Butt St, Suva, the eatery is one of the Capital City’s best-kept secrets.
Manager Vili Tuinamoala said the decision to go green was one of the many ways the business could reduce its carbon footprint and impact on the environment.
“With our packaging, apart from the fact that it is biodegradable, it’s also the image of the company as well,” he said.
“Climate change is a reality for us in Fiji and across the Pacific, so by providing wooden cutlery with our takeaways, packing them in biodegradable containers and using paper bags — we are making a real effort in helping the environment.
“This simply means, less plastics in garbage bins and landfills.”
Propolis uses biodegradable cutlery and containers supplied by Pakplus Packaging, a Nadi-based firm.
Pakplus Packaging sales and marketing manager Virisila Radrodro said she had noted an increase in the number of local businesses opting for environmentally friendly containers, utensils and packaging.
“Most of our clients are big hotels and restaurants and a lot of them requested green products from the get-go,” she said.
“However, we have seen an increase in the number of local eateries who have become our clients because of a number of reasons.
“Some have said they are opting for biodegradable products because of Government’s ban on single-use plastics while others are doing it because their customers demand it.
“There are also a growing number of businesses, like Propolis, who are focused on being environmentally friendly because their products and services are based on being green.”
Ms Radrodro said a plan by the Government to ban the use of styrofoam containers was also driving more businesses towards green packaging.
“Apart from the cardboard biodegradable containers, we also have containers made out of sugarcane — and these have generated a lot of interest from eateries and food businesses.”