What We Can Do for the “Environment.”
Protecting the rich environment and natural future
that breeds coffee is an important responsibility for us.
Aiming to realize a recycling-oriented society
with a low environmental impact
that considers the future of the planet,
we will actively engage in environmental and social friendly activities
such as environmental protection,
energy conservation and reduction of food loss.
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We reuse coffee grounds.
The coffee grounds that remain after brewing are a big part of the food waste from our stores. With the aim of improving the situation in which coffee grounds left over from the extraction of carefully grown coffee beans around the world are disposed of as waste, we have been working since 2010 to recycle and utilize some of the bean grounds separated at stores as fertilizer at food recycling plants. C-United is working to improve inventory levels by improving the accuracy of sales forecasts for menu and to optimize the volume of orders placed at stores. However, food waste is still generated. We will work to realize a society where such food waste can be recycled and used effectively in a sustainable manner by using it as fertilizer and feed or by recovering heat from methane.
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We Will Make Efforts to Reduce Food Loss, such as the Introduction of an "Eco-friendly" Sticker on Sandwiches.
At CAFFÈ VELOCE and CAFÉ de CRIÉ, sandwiches are carefully made one at a time by hand at the shops rather than being delivered directly from the factory. We are leveraging this advantage to control the number of sandwiches made along with offering a 50-yen discount on sandwiches nearing the end of their shelf life by putting on eco-discount stickers as the situation dictates, and thereby working with customers to reduce food loss. Additionally, in March 2022, CAFFÈ VELOCE started an initiative to reduce the amount of waste regarding the milk used in Cafe Au Lait and Soft Serve Ice Cream. We have been able to reduce food loss by approximately 13%* through changes to operations.
*The amount of food loss per 1 million yen in sales. -
We Offer Eco-friendly Takeout Cups Made from 25% Recycled Plastic.
Since February 2022, CAFFÈ VELOCE has been gradually replacing plastic takeout cups used to serve cold drinks with eco-friendly cups. About 25% of the plastic used in these cups is made from recycled plastic bottles. This resulted in a reduction of about 1 kg of CO2 per 1 kg of resin compared to a conventional cup. This is a plastic cup certified with the Eco Mark, and even public institutions guarantee that this product has a low environmental impact. This cup can also reduce the volume of packaging by about half, saving oil resources by improving delivery efficiency.
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Muddlers have been replaced with wood materials in an effort to reduce the amount of plastic used.
In order to reduce the amount of plastic used, the plastic muddlers that came with drinks at CAFÉ de CRIÉ and maison de VERRE were replaced with wooden ones in December 2019. We will continue to strive to reduce plastic used through environmental and social friendly initiatives.
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We Are Working to Reduce the Amount of Plastic by Changing the Way We Provide Straws to a Self-Service System for Customers Who Want Them.
CAFFÈ VELOCE has changed how it provides straws since March 2022 with the aim of reducing its plastic usage. Straws had previously been given to all customers ordering cold drinks; however, this has been discontinued, and customers are now asked to take their own straws from the accessories corner located near the cash register. We will continue to strive to reduce our plastic usage with the understanding and cooperation of our customers
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We Will Strive to Reduce CO2 Emissions by Switching to Biomass Plastic Materials with Lower Environmental Impact.
C-United is gradually switching from plastic straws to biomass plastic straws, which have a lower environmental impact. These straws are made by replacing some petroleum-based ingredients with plant-based ingredients. This will save oil resources that are at risk of depletion, and because of the carbon-neutral nature of biomass plastics, it will contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions from straw incineration.
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We Are Actively Working to Reduce Power Consumption by Gradually Switching to Energy-saving Equipment.
Since 2009, we have been gradually installing LED lighting fixtures in our stores. In addition, our stores regularly take meter readings every month to check for malfunctions and waste in the equipment and to ensure proper use of electricity and gas. Since 2020, we have aggressively switched to energy-saving appliances for kitchen equipment, air conditioners, and other appliances, thereby significantly reducing electricity consumption. We will continue to systematically replace kitchen equipment, air conditioners and other appliances in order to help reduce our environmental impact.
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We are switching the materials used in our menu to materials that return to earth, mainly made from limestone.
Since June 2018, maison de VERRE has been replacing paper and plastic with materials that return to the earth, mainly made from limestone, for its menu.This material can be produced using almost no wood pulp or water as a raw material and uses less petroleum-derived raw materials. Therefore, this leads to environmental protection and the reduction of CO2 emissions.By promoting the introduction of eco-friendly materials, we will continue to work on activities that have less impact on nature and the environment.