Sustainable Deli

If you were wondering what we've been doing to keep our deli more sustainable, here's a quick list of what you'll find. So instead of throwing your plastic deli containers in the trash go ahead and process them in your personal or neighborhood composter. We are continuously researching new and better ways to sustainable and waste-less Deli department.

PLA Plastic quarts, pints, and half pints

• Made from 100% corn starch. Produced domestically in Nebraska.
• Compostable, but needs at least 10 days at 120ºF to compost fully. These containers will compost in 90 days in a commercial composting facility. They are not recommended for home composting, although if shredded first, they may compost in 6-12 months in a well maintained home composter.
• Corn used to make PLA plastic comes from the general supply chain, and is not certified to be GMO-free. However, all of the genetic material from the corn is destroyed during production.
• A life cycle analysis performed by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research in Heidelberg, Germany concluded that even if PLA plastic deli containers are put in a landfill, they offer a significant reduction in carbon output and overall energy use. In the study, PLA containers produced an average of 49.2 kg of CO2 per 1,000 containers, compared to 58.6 kg of CO2 for 1,000 conventional plastic containers—a reduction of 16%. The same study concluded that PLA containers take 15% less energy to produce when compared with petroleum based plastic containers: .93 gigajoules per 1,000 PLA containers compared to 1.1 gigajoules per 1,000 conventional plastic containers.
• PLA plastic does not contain BPA, and is much less toxic than petroleum-based plastics.

Bagasse Clamshells

• Excellent alternative to Styrofoam.
• Made from the waste fibers left over after sugar cane is juiced.
• Will compost within 90 days in a home composter. It’s recommended that they be shredded first.
• Microwavable, does a great job of holding hot foods without leaking.

Salad bar boxes

• 100% recovered materials (30% post consumer).
• Utilizes only vegetable-based ink.
• Uses a chlorine-free bleaching process.

Purple and orange soup cups

• Utilizes only vegetable-based ink.
• Uses a chlorine-free bleaching process.

Potato starch utencils

• Made from domestically grown products: 80% potato starch, 20% soy oil.
• Will compost in 180 days in a commercial composting facility.
• Washable and reusable.