Artigiano’s commitment to the environment

Article posted: December 03, 2019

In 2018, we introduced a 25 cent discount for all guests that use their own reusable mugs and a 25 cent levy on single-use cups in an effort to discourage the number of cups we use. All proceeds of the 10 cent levy initiative are placed into a sustainability fund and applied towards other waste-reducing programs. We have eliminated the use of unnecessary single-use items (plastic and paper). We no longer distribute plastic bags, plastic cutlery, plastic containers, plastic straws (only upon request), plastic hot drink stoppers, paper sleeves and individual sugar packets.

With our local partnerships, we are committed to local and organic ingredients for our baked goods, breads, milk offerings and drink ingredients, wherever possible.

All our coffee beans are sourced from family farms that are grown using traditional, organic methods and with minimum synthetic inputs.

Just 1 year after the introduction of these initiatives, we have diverted over 110,000 single-use cups from the landfill.

Still, we remain committed to making more improvements that will reduce our footprint further. These include:

  • Encouraging the use of reusable stainless steel straws, utensils, water glasses, containers and bags.
  • When plastic / paper is unavoidable, aiming to use only non-virgin plastic / paper that is 100% recyclable.
  • Helping our guests recycle effectively in-store with clear signage and labelling.
  • Continuing to work with municipalities, and zero waste consultants and staying ahead of legislation restricting single-use packaging.
  • Reducing the carbon footprint of our operations by consolidating transportation and storage, and participating in carbon offset programs.
  • Creating a Green Ambassador Program with volunteer team members to brainstorm and implement sustainability initiatives and ideas.
  • Minimizing food waste and arranging for donations of food.
  • Donating coffee grounds to local gardeners for composting purposes.