Eco-Friendly Food and Beverage Packaging Becoming Ever-More Advanced

Research shows that consumers prefer environmentally friendly packaging, and the food and beverage industry has responded by offering sustainable solutions that have altered the look of product lines. While sustainable packaging has been available for a few years now, the newest technologies and materials reflect how manufacturers are getting innovative with their ecoefforts.

A recent Perception Research Services International announcement revealed that consumers are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly packaging, and more shoppers in 2011 (36 percent) indicated that they would opt for eco-friendly packaging compared with 2010 (28 percent).
“We’re seeing a great opportunity for manufacturers to provide truly value-added packaging to their
target shoppers by making it more environmentally friendly — primarily in the form of recyclability and recycled content — and clearly communicating these aspects,” said Jonathan Asher, executive vice president of Perception Research Services, with the survey announcement.
 
Manufacturers are listening, as evidenced by continual new releases of green packaging solutions.
Here, we highlight some of the emerging and award-winning packaging technologies, and some that
may soon become staples in the food and beverage industry.
Compostable Metallized Papers An alternative to metallized films, foil laminated papers and foil, which is not always easy to recycle, is compostable metallized packaging. Just last month, Vacumet Corp., the manufacturer of metallized papers, announced the launch of its new line of 100-percent compostable metallized papers.

The innovative papers are available in various weights and functional performance characteristics and
may be used for sandwich bags, wraps and pouches for various applications. According to Vacumet,
the papers are also tested and certified to be biodegradable in a managed composting facility,
meeting ASTM D-6868 standards.


Eco-Friendly Thermal Boxes

Thermal insulated boxes are imperative for some food item shipments, but now manufacturers are
demonstrating how that type of packaging can be more eco-friendly. One example is cold chain
packaging company ThermoPod, which provides patented, biodegradable and/or recyclable
temperature-control packaging solutions.

While ThermoPod’s green insulation packaging is not exclusive to the food and beverage industry, its
shipping containers are green solutions to similar but less environmentally friendly options. The
temperature-control packaging is said to be unique because it features ultra-insulating padding,
created from patented “purified recycled textile fibers,” according to the company. Also, to contain
leaks and spills, the packaging features a super-absorbent fiber and an EPA-approved antimicrobial
additive to prevent cross-contamination.

Another green insulation packaging trendsetter is InCycle Insulating Containers by MicroGreen
Polymers Inc. — a 2012 winner of the DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation. The insulating cups
and foam trays are examples of the packaging lightweighting trend, i.e., “doing more with less.”
With this particular packaging, an ad-air solid state microcellular plastic process is used to achieve the insulation needed to keep containers hot or cold. According to DuPont, MicroGreen Polymers “uses non-reacting, recycled carbon-dioxide gas to thermoform recycled PET plastic rolls into inherently insulating trays and cups.”

The benefit of such packaging is that while it is a greener option than other packaging, it also weighs
less than similar cups and containers. Plant-Based Plastic Containers Plant-based plastics first emerged a few years ago in the food and beverage packaging industry, and some companies are big proponents of this trend. Coca-Cola, for instance, which launched its recyclable PET plastic bottle, called PlantBottle, in 2009, has plans to offer all of its beverages in the sustainable packaging by 2020, SmartPlanet reported in 2011. Also last year, the company and its PlantBottle packaging earned the Edison Awards and a DuPont Award for its packaging innovation. The PlantBottle looks and functions like PET, yet this greener alternative packaging uses materials that are up to 30 percent plant-based. Traditional PET packaging uses petroleum-based plastics.

The leading beverage brand is not alone in its plant-based packaging efforts. Recently, Heinz began a
strategic partnership with Coca-Cola, as part of its eco-conscious Join the Growing Movement
campaign. According to Packaging Digest, all of the company’s 20-ounce ketchup bottles available in
retail stores and restaurants will be the PlantBottle.

Compostable Coffee Packaging Solution

Green Life Store brings you a new innovative and eco conscious product, the Compostable Coffee bags from NatureFlex™  Contact us info@greenlifestore.co.za for more info. 

April 2012 Innovia Films’ compostable, cellulose-based material, NatureFlex™ is helping a New Zealand coffee roaster meet its commitment to being socially and environmentally responsible.

Caffe Prima, based in Christchurch, has chosen to use 'Econic'® coffee bags.  The bags were specifically developed by New Zealand converter, Convex Plastics, using NatureFlex™ renewable and compostable films in their construction.

“Coffee is a very demanding product to package because maintaining freshness and taste is absolutely paramount.  Packs have to be puncture and impact resistant and offer high barrier and good seal integrity to keep oxygen out and aroma in.  Coupled with this, Caffe Prima, was looking for a solution that was kind to the environment.  NatureFlex™ ticked all the boxes as far as we were concerned,” said Andrew Sheerin, Technical Manager, Convex Plastics.

A laminate construction was produced using three flexible films that are certified compostable and renewable – A reverse printed clear NatureFlex™ / High-Barrier Metallised NatureFlex™ / Starch based biopolymer.

“Achieving success with partners such as Convex means that our NatureFlex™ films are well positioned to provide solutions to converters and brand owners. Especially those seeking to meet consumer demand for packaging made from renewable resources,” said Robin Dearnley, Australia and New Zealand Sales Manager for Innovia Films.

NatureFlex™ films are certified to meet the American ASTM D6400, European EN13432 and Australian AS4736 standards for compostable packaging.  The wood-pulp is sourced from managed plantations from referenced suppliers operating Good Forestry principals (FSC or equivalent).  The renewable biobased content of NatureFlex™ films is typically 95% by weight of material according to ASTM D6866.  NatureFlex™ has been confirmed as suitable for emerging 'waste to energy' techniques such as anaerobic digestion, aiding the diversion of organic wastes from landfill.

NatureFlex™ was an obvious solution for use in this application as the film begins life as a natural product – wood - and breaks down at the end of its lifecycle in a home compost bin (or industrial compost environment) within a matter of weeks.

Every Cup Counts

This week I've decided to have a closer look at the Coffee Trade. What happens way before you sip your favorite flat white to long after. From the ground to the ground. What impact does your choice of coffee have on the World?

Why? I am a self confessed coffaholic and would like to know that my cup of coffee is helping and not harming my effort for a more sustainable World. It all started with a goat-herder from Ethiopia, who one day noticed his goats dancing on their hind legs after eating some red berries which were growing on low bushes in the countryside... and viola, the coffee industry was founded.


A couple hundred years later, and we have a billion dollar industry, second biggest after oil, dedicated to those red berries. Growing, harvesting, exporting, importing, roasting, flat white, tall black, skinny lattes, espressos, all available to-go.

As if we not overwhelmed by choice of how to have our morning brew,  we have to consider if our brew is "Fairtrade"certified and earth friendly or not. And do you really want to enjoy that perfect cuppa if its from a farm in Ethiopian where the farmers are paid less than a 3c for your cuppa. Simply knowing that your certified Fairtrade cup of coffee can help farmers escape poverty must add some value to paying a fair price for a everyday luxuries such as a cuppa coffee.  

"For every cup of coffee you buy for $3, a farmer earns 3c"

Buying organic food might be good for the environment, but the organic label is no guarantee that it’s good for the people who produce it. Luckily this is where the "Fairtrade" label comes in, which guarantees that the farmers producing the crop pay a fair wage to their laborers and promote economic self-sufficiency. 

What about the environment?  Do you ever consider that your Coffee often takes a high toll on the environment, as virgin forests are cleared away to make way for new coffee plantations.
Not to talk about the waste of take away coffee's around the World.  
 

Using non-eco cups raises the Question : Why bother ordering a cup of certified "Fairtrade" or Organic coffee if it comes in a cup that's coated with chemicals and will not breakdown or cannot be recycled.


Opening your mind up and becoming aware of buying "Fairtrade" coffee in a eco friendly take away cup, in my opinion, is a great way to harnesess the power that you have over the coffee trade to help alleviate poverty, waste generated and force a significant global change socially and environmentally.

By making small, simple changes to your everyday purchasing habits, such as choosing a cup of "Fairtrade" coffee in a eco friendly take away cup, you are able to vote with your Rand for a better World.

Some Coffee Facts

Coffee grows in more than 50 countries around the world and employs over 25 million coffee growers.

Coffee is the largest trading commodity in the world after oil, generating annual sales in excess of $80 billion dollars per year.

Coffee is the most popular drink worldwide. 

Globally, about 2 billion cups of coffee are drunk every day.

It takes fifty coffee beans to brew an espresso and each coffee bean has to be individually hand picked.

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and is known for producing some of the best high grade quality coffee in the world.

Today, 15 million people in Ethiopia depend on coffee for their survival. It accounts for 67% of the country’s foreign export income.

An average coffee farmer receives less than 3 US cents for a $3 cup of coffee.    

http://fairtradeusa.org 
http://blackgoldmovie.com 

Article  by Natashia Fox

21 June 2012

www.greenlifestore.co.za | www.vegware.co.za

How 'Green' is your local food market?

I always love visiting my local farmers or food market. Lots of passion, yummy- creative snacks and the result, a vibe that makes you feel good about eating and buying local and organic.
There is always an abundant array of delicious and beautiful local organic grown veggies, beer, freshly baked breads, fair trade chocolates, wines and sustainable fish to choose from. 


However, I was also struck by two things.

An awful lot of cars. Parking a nightmare.  Secondly, a ridiculous amount of non-eco-friendly packaging &  plastic bags used. Don’t get me wrong, buying local food and supporting local is probably one of the most 'urban hip' things you can do for our planet, but I feel it should not end there.  I think our local food markets need to educate and encourage a greener lifestyle by example. From their certified organic stall holders, onsite visible recycling bins, fairtrade products to eco-friendly packaging used by stall holders.

Lets face it, we as a society aspire to follow the latest trend and if following a green trend is the latest, then I'm all for it. It's ultimately an all round win-win for us and Mother Earth.

Even when we buy local, we need to make efforts to do it in the most responsible way. That means refusing those plastic bags and taking our own, making use of the recycling facilities when you finished with your gourmet prepared meal, it means biking, busing or carpooling when possible, and it means asking questions about how your food was grown, as well as the packaging it is being presented in.
 

In some ways this highlights one of the biggest, but perhaps most intangible, benefits of the food markets, asking the real questions. Because we come face-to-face with the people producing, cooking our food, and often the people organizing the market, we can form real relationships, and communicate our values to them. It’s not so easy to do that at your local big box retailer. Of course, these thoughts are probably nothing new to the dedicated weekly market goer but its nice to be reminded why we visit the local market weekly. 

Article by Natashia Fox
www.greenlifestore.co.za or www.vegware.co.za

Guba uses Vegware in Swaziland's music festival, Bushfire

To raise awareness for Guba in one our local communities, we were delighted when the organisers of local music & arts festival, Bushfire, agreed to allow us to run a small cafe selling locally produced food in their stunning Sacred Circle over the festival weekend.

Our team of Permaculture facilitators & natural builders became the cafe team overnight for 3 days only. Everyone involved did so as volunteers - the vibe & teamwork was incredible & a lot of fun!

The Gube Story

The Guba farm began as 2.2 hectares of invasive bush & pineapple stumps. The soil was a mix of sandy clay & silty loam but had been depleted by aggressive, non-indigenous plants & decades of conventional pineapple farming that stripped away the topsoil & beneficial nutrients with each rain storm. Although almost three quarters of the land was bush, it added little diversity to the area. The year was 2009. Here we could practice the Permaculture theory we wanted to explore. 

Our enthusiasm was greatly influenced by Masanobu Fukuoka's observational approach to farming combined with an urgent need to appropriately respond to the HIV/AIDS crisis gripping the Swazi nation. Fukuoka reckoned that one-&-a-quarter acres of arable land, farmed naturally, was enough to feed a family in Japan & to leave

“plenty of time for leisure & social activities within the village community.”

Inspired by Fukuoka & other Permaculture-related activists, we began our preparations to become part of the solution, as Permaculture gardeners & trainers growing with our communities toward a more resilient future. Completing our Permaculture Design Course in 2009 helped frame our past sustainable agriculture training & laid the groundwork for the ongoing development of the farm as a working example of tools outlined in Permaculture, Holisitic Land Management, agro-forestry, natural building & natural resource management, to name a few.

As Darrell Frey eloquently stated in his book, Bioshelter Market Garden: A Permaculture Farm, to the student of Permaculture,

"problems are signposts pointing to solutions... Thoughtful application of ecological design for problem solving can set in motion regeneration of soil, watersheds & local ecosystems that in turn help heal regional & global environments."

All the tools & information we need to design & plan sustainable communities are available now. 

We believe that a sustainable future will be rooted to the land. Our farm has been designed to be a valuable educational resource that offers many different types of training, from diet & nutrition, nutrient cycling & diverse agricultural enterprises to our interconnection to the natural world & the social dynamics that perpetuate poor quality of life. Guba is intended to be a tool for those who want to participate in the continuing evolution of a sustainable society.

We are a registered not-for-profit organisation working to reduce inequality in Swaziland by supporting people to affect planned change in their own lives through the provision of high quality learning opportunities, rooted in sustainable & ecologically sound approaches to farming & human development.

Our vision is for all people in Swaziland to have secure access to nutritious food, clean water, shelter & economic stability through their own energies & practices that nurture their physical & social environments.

KFC fast food packaging - No good for rainforest

by Ian Duff, Forest Campaigner,
Greenpeace International

KFC fast food packaging is made from pulped rainforest. Please help us change this before time runs out for Sumatran tigers – there are only 400 left in the wild.
KFC - No Good For Rainforests!


KFC’s bosses continue to deny links to rainforest destruction, even though we have proven they are using packaging made by Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), one of the world’s most notorious forest destroyers. We‘re asking KFC to stop buying from APP, and introduce new policies to rule out deforestation from their supply chain for good.

When you sign up, we’ll create a unique “KFC packaging revolt” page for you. Share this with your friends to grow the revolt. A message is sent to KFC every time a new person joins, adding to the pressure on the company. I can’t get KFC to listen, unless they know you’re with me. Once they see enough customers join our packaging revolt, they’ll have to change.

Let’s not stand by and watch rainforest end up in a fast food trash can. Join the revolt today and help KFC stop trashing the rainforest.

Read More

What is Fairtrade?

by Natashia Fox, Green Life Store
 
The Fair Trade Certified standards work to ensure farmers and farm workers in developing nations receive fair compensation and healthy conditions for their product. Products must be grown by small-scale producers democratically organized in either cooperatives or unions. Certified organizations are also encouraged to help the community with social development efforts such as education and healthcare. You'll find this label on widely consumed, and historically exploited, items such as coffee, tea and herbs, cocoa and chocolate, bananas, flowers, sugar, and rice.

TransFair USA, the official U.S. certifier and member of the Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International, explains, "Fair Trade Certification empowers farmers and farm workers to lift themselves out of poverty by investing in their farms and communities, protecting the environment, and developing the business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace."

Some consumers are skeptical of Fair Trade practices voicing concern over high prices, potential food miles, overproduction of certain crops, and the farmer's dependence on hand-outs. Yet Ian Bretman of Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International (FLO) argues that, contrary to the free trade argument, fair trade agreements don't trap farmers by subsidizing unprofitable production; they help farmers invest in improving quality and diversifying into other crops.

Fair Trade in Africa : THE FAIRTRADE LABEL

The FAIRTRADE Label is now the most widely recognised and trusted ethical label in the world. When a product carries the FAIRTRADE Label, it means that both producers and traders have met Fairtrade Standards and that they are audited annually to ensure compliance.
The graphic symbol inside the Fairtrade Mark shows a person with a raised arm representing the optimism of producers. The blue sky of potential is connected to the green of growth.

Fairtrade wines

South Africa produces some of the finest wines in the world and contributes up to 4% of the international wine production. Over 100.000 hectares are planted with vines for wine production and over 900 million litres are produced every year by local wineries, this equals more than 1,2 billion wine bottles.

South Africa hosts the first ever Fairtrade wine operation in the world - Thandi Wines - which achieved Fairtrade certification in 2003. Since then wine has become one of the most important Fairtrade products in South Africa: we currently have 16 Fairtrade certified wine grape producer organisations and over 39 companies involved in Fairtrade wine-making and trading (March 2012). In 2010, over 17 million bottles of Fairtrade wine were drunk globally and two thirds of those were from South African farms. Wine contributes significantly to the growth of the South African Fairtrade movement: half of the estimated ZAR 18,4 million spent on Fairtrade products in South Africa during 2010 was generated by locally produced Fairtrade wines. South Africans will be happy to know that for every Fairtrade labelled bottle they buy, 50 cents goes back to the farm workers to use for social and economic investments. These investments are made into various projects; some of which include funding of education and training programmes for the workers and their families or the improvement of services and infrastructures (read more about how the Fairtrade Premium changed these people's lives here). Fairtrade certification also ensures that the wine is produced sustainably in accordance with Fairtrade Standards and that full traceability is in place.

Fairtrade wines available in South Africa:
RHYTHMS OF NATURE
Traded by: Deetlefs Winery

SIX HATS
Traded by: Citrusdal Wines

Fairtrade coffees

Coffee is one of the most valuable primary products in world trade (it is the second most traded commodity after oil!!) and its cultivation, processing and trading provide employment for hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Coffee production and export is also crucial to the economies of several countries in the South, where the cultivation of coffee usually accounts for the majority of foreign exchange earnings.

The global market for coffee has been often characterised by extreme price volatility and over-production, which exacerbated in a real coffee crisis at the beginning of 2000s. Almost overnight, world coffee prices fell to an extreme low of US$45 cents/pound, which brought thousands of small farmers in Africa, Asia and Central/Latin America to lose their livelihoods.

Fairtrade's response to the unpredictable coffee market is to provide a security net that allows producers, usually small farmers organised in cooperatives, to receive a fair price that covers their costs of living and sustainable production - US$1,35/pound. A Fairtrade Premium of US$0,20/pound is added to the price and is used for social and economic investments that the small farmers find necessary for their business and their communities. 25% of the Premium must be spend in productivity and quality improvements.


Fairtrade coffees available in South Africa:

BEAN THERE
By: Bean There Coffee Company
Organic: yes
Available at: selected Pick n Pays, online, and in Bean There coffee shops

WOOLWORTHS COFFEE
By: Woolworths
Organic: yes
Available at: all W Cafes in South Africa

Fairtrade Chocolate

Cocoa is one of the fastest growing products in the Fairtrade market. Global Fairtrade cocoa sales doubled to an estimated 30.000 tonnes in 2010, driven by growth in international markets where more than 120 companies now sell over 500 Fairtrade chocolate confectionery products.
Around 85.000 farmers from 62 producer organisations in 16 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America benefit from supplying Fairtrade cocoa. For small-scale farmers' organisation, Fairtrade offers a stable Minimum Price that covers costs of production and allows planning for the future, access to credit, and an additional Premium to invest in business improvements such as quality control programmes and in community projects such as clinics, schools and clean water. Fairtrade environmental standards promote sound agricultural practices focusing on minimised and safe use of agrochemicals, responsible waste management, maintenance of soil fertility, protection of water resources, and no use of genetically modified organisms.

Fairtrade chocolate available in South Africa:

CADBURY DAIRY MILK [plain chocolate]
Traded by: Kraft Foods South Africa
Organic: no
Available at: everywhere!

Fairtrade Food

Fairtrade certification is open to a wide range of agricultural commodities, which goes beyond coffee, tea and wine. Producing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America supply the world with Fairtrade fruits, vegetables, honey, nuts, rice, sugar, herbs and spices - many of them are still not available in South Africa, but we are working to expand the offer of Fairtrade labelled food products.
Fairtrade food products available in South Africa:

FAIR TRADE ORIGINAL GRINDERS
Traded by: Turqle Trading
Available at: Woolworths

Packaged with Compassion

Article by Shannon Jenkins, SAFindit


‘You do not have to be a barefoot, tree-hugging vegan hippy to work in the Green industry.’ Rather, says Natashia Fox, you need to be ‘’optimistically realistic’ about what you can do for your environment. However, this doesn’t mean you lack passion for your cause!

Natashia started Green Life Store – an online eco-store – in 2008. As a green consultant, surfer, sailor, free-diver and ocean-lover, going into this field was a natural choice for her.
‘’After getting involved in project managing the re-fitment of a charter yacht in 2004, I found a new life calling – at sea. Sailing and living at sea for 4 years I realized the need to conserve and protect the Oceans. I have set out to dedicate my life to making a difference,” Natashia explains.

At the time of launching Green Life Store, she had over 2000 products listed, but in 2011, her business became a global partner to Vegware UK and the focus shifted to importing, exporting and selling a range of eco-friendly food packaging – Vegware. As the UK’s first and only completely compostable food packaging firm, Natashia was excited to get on board and is now the Vegware distributer for Africa.
“All of our eco packaging products are made from annually-renewable or recycled materials, and are all biodegradable or compostable,” Natashia says, “Some of our products are made from bagasse, which is biodegradable and compostable, that is made from sugarcane fibre left over after juice extraction.”

Though there is a perception that eco-friendly food packaging is substantially more costly to clients, Natashia says the industry has become more competitive and as the market expands and her volumes increase, so the prices would adjust accordingly.
“Becoming a sustainable society will take time but the Green wave has started in South Africa and I am confident that it will spread from the more eco-conscious communities that can afford to drive the Green wave, and later to the poorer communities as prices comes down,” she says.
“Becoming more sustainable is, in my opinion, about living more sustainable yet having the same lifestyle. We do not need to compromise on our way of living, going 50 years back, lighting candles to save electricity. We need to choose the more sustainable options available to us. Choose to support the restaurants that support Sustainable Seafood and use eco-friendly packaging.”

Still, Natashia says that the majority of local consumers are still ignorant of their sustainable choices.
“Sustainability is consumer driven. Large companies will not switch to more expensive packaging if they are not made aware that they are losing profits due to consumers choosing their Greener competitors. Consumers have the power to insist on products being eco-friendly.
Choose wisely.”

It’s a long road in terms of seeing a major impact, but Natashia is happy knowing that her business is a part of the solution: that every item packaged in her eco-friendly packaging is guilt free and no plastic will end up floating around our ocean currents for hundreds of years to come.

Upcoming in Stellenbosch in June 2012

WHEN : 8 June 2012
WHAT : Barista Coffee Festival
WHERE : Woodmill Lifestyle Market- Stellenbosch
WHY : A five hour session where you can expect coffee samples, food and live music! Learn about the various different ways to make and brew coffee at home, visit your favourite Barista browse your way through the contemporary Woodmill Market.The baristas have been trained to prepare the coffee based on the guidelines of the roaster, so broaden your horizons coffee at its best!
HOW MUCH : Tickets cost R30 (includes a unique mug and tastings) ENTRY to the Market is FREE.
CONTACT : Call 083 755 2877

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WHEN : 22 June 2012
WHAT : Bob en Sop
WHERE : Woodmill Lifestyle Market - Stellenbosch
WHY :
An intimate, unique show that pays tribute to all the great Bobs of the music world - Dylan, Seger, Johnson, Marley…
The backbone of the show is an all-star band consisting of Dale Collins, Basson Laubscher, Jacques Steyn and Simon Orange. Stemming from the ranks of some of SA's top acts such as the Boulevard Blues Band, Zinkplaat, the Blues Broers and the former DNA Strings, this band of eclectic musicians as versatile as they are adept, own a variety of different instruments and genres with brilliant ease.
Joining them on stage are guest artists Willim Welsyn, Dane Taylor and Voortvlugtend, each of them bringing their own mastery and soul to the party with unique and breathtaking covers of their favourite Bobs.
HOW MUCH : Tickets cost R60 (includes soup) but ENTRY to the Market is FREE.

CONTACT : Call 083 755 2877

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Eco-conscious Eating @ Katerina's Kitchen, Cape Town

Fact: Most food shops are operating for profit purely and people are being punished for wanting to eat out often. Most ready food is highly fatty (as much as 30-40% of it) and made from stuff that is overly processed. To add insult to injury, the cookie cutter type food offer is not being prepared by people that are passionate and educated on food. Because profit is driving the bulk of the food offers in SA, ingredients are being selected based on price and not quality.

Katerina’s Kitchen is about real food and is as focused on people as it is on profit. Both our staff and customers are important to us and I go to great lengths to look after both of them. I grew up in a Greek home and food is an important part of our culture. It represents much more than something to fill your tummy. 

Food is about using what the earth gives us to nourish and take care of ourselves. It supports our health and happiness. Critical to this is also family and family meals. We tend to eat in huge groups and take time to enjoy a meal with each other. We would never dream of picking food to eat because it is easy or cheap. Most of our staple diet is profoundly simple with many favourite dishes only having a handful of ingredients. 

"My parents are from a Greek island called Crete and both grew up in very humble surroundings. My mom’s side of the family were subsistence farmers and even now when I go visit, their tables are full of yummy fresh simple food they have grown/ reared themselves. They would never in a million years consider eating most of the ready foods in the SA market. "

"I was very young when I developed an interest in food. I was 9 or 10 the first time I started sprinkling herbs and seasoning on toasted cheese and asking my brothers and sister what they thought of the taste."

"In 2009 I started going to night school after realizing that a career in corporate leadership was not for me. When I got the opportunity, I left corporate and spent 4 months in Crete traveling around and seeing how the locals eat and cook. "

" Cretans are said to be some of the longest living people in the world and this is largely attributed to their diet. I decided not to open a Greek restaurant just yet because I think SA needs to be eased into new cuisine.  As the brand grows and people trust me more, I will introduce loads of Cretan dishes that are wholesome and amazingly delicious.
I invite you to discover that healthy foods can be absolutely yummy... Only at Katerina's Kitchen. " 
--Cathy owner of Katerina's Kitchen - Tableview.

Tel: 021 554 1149

Cell: 079 791 8743

Email: info@katerinaskitchen.co.za

www.katerinaskitchen.co.za

Shop 8, 8 Sandown Road, Blouberg Sands, 7441

Congratulations! Vegware UK, winning Green Company of the Year!

It's official! Vegware UK is Green Company of the Year. That was the big news at the inaugural Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Awards. Vegware Uk were nominated for the High Growth Award too, but the judges felt we were the best of the five nominees up for the green award.

Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce's Deputy CEO, Graham Birse, was impressed by Vegware UK as a home-grown eco success story. "We are hugely proud of Vegware – they are a low-carbon high-growth Edinburgh company, living proof that ethics and commercial success do mix. We are delighted to officially recognise Vegware's contribution both to the local economy and to improving sustainability worldwide."

During the dinner, Edinburgh's business elite raised money for Radio Forth's charity, Cash for Kids, which improves the lives of local children. Our lucky streak continued, and Business Development Manager Chris Murphy won the raffle prize to be a zookeeper for a day at Blair Drummond Safari Park.

Consumers don't like packaging, but they will like Vegware, it's food packaging made from plants

Environment is an important area of concern for every person, community and organization today. Every industry, every occasion, every celebration and every venture today has to essentially address the environmental issues that fall in its purview and scope of operation. Organizations, government and big brands are even going a step forward with this, by making every possible to move towards maintaining a neat and livable environment for the generations to come. Going green and efforts towards maintaining and preserving the flora and fauna of the earth are an indispensable part of every corporate social responsibility initiative.

Marketing Advantages of Green Packaging
Subsequently, the marketing advantages of having a green image is invaluable in the new economy. Sustainable choices used to be seen only as an additional cost to business. Now it's the biggest opportunity for companies to grow market share by engaging in sustainable practices that benefit the environment and meet consumers demands.
Consumers generally do not like packaging, but they have a very positive view of biodegradable packaging. It makes them think they have done their bit for the environment and makes them feel good. Numerous studies have shown that consumers pro-actively choose eco packaging as long as they can recognise it.

There are rich rewards awaiting companies that seize the opportunities of the emerging green economy, creating new sources of business value in tandem with a healthier more prosperous and more secure world. Vegware coffee cups is different in that the lining is made from a starch based polymer called PLA. Not only is PLA manufactured from a renewable resource corn, the process to produce PLA produces 60% less greenhouse gas than conventional plastic.

For more information visit www.vegware.co.za or www.greenlifestore.co.za
Contact Vegware Africa at info@vegware.co.za

John Dory's is raising awareness about sustainable seafood!

South Africa is located at the tip of Africa and is fortunate to have more than 3000km of coastline. It straddles both the cold Atlantic Ocean and the warm Indian Ocean, which makes for one of the most diverse and productive marine environments in the world! Our oceans are a source of great joy and benefit, providing us with tremendous and often unseen economic, social and cultural benefits; they act as a vast highway for commerce, provide a place for recreationand, importantly, they supply food or income for 2.6 billion people worldwide.

Sadly, many South Africans have lost their connection with the oceans, viewing them only as food factories to fill their stomachs. Luckily, the John Dory’s Fish and Grill Restaurant Franchise Group has taken up the challenge to change the way their customers view seafood. John Dory’s joined the WWF SASSI Retailer Participation Scheme in 2009 and, with the help of the WWF SASSI team, are actively scrutinising their seafood procurement practices so that they can provide their customers with the most sustainable seafood options available. Philippa Charlesworth, Brand Manager for John Dory’s, says, “In order to ensure the sustainability of our own business, we recognised the need for seafood to remain sustainable and hence saw the importance of getting on board [with SASSI], which we did”.

In November 2011, John Dory’s hosted an awareness dinner at Monte Casino, Gauteng. Despite being inland, Gauteng is the province where the most seafood is consumed, according to SASSI’s research, but there is very limited awareness around the sustainability of more popular seafood choices. The purpose of this event was to bring together key individuals and members of the media to learn about WWF SASSI and empower them to spread SASSI’s message of sustainability, whilst raising awareness around the challenges that our oceans face. The evening involved a night of culinary excellence provided by Chef David Higgs, where guests ate sustainably, heard fromSASSI, and were encouraged to drive positive change through the seafood industry by making informed seafood choices and supporting sustainable practices.

WWF SASSI applauds the great work John Dory’s has done on their seafood sustainability journey! Special thanks also go to Two Oceans Wines, an educational partner of SASSI’s, for sponsoring the wine for the evening.

Change begins with small steps in the right direction – here’s to an amazing 2012!

Ten Eco-Consciocus Ideas for Restaurants

By Melanie D.G. Kaplan

WASHINGTON — Poste Moderne Brasserie recycles its paper, glass and plastic, and the restaurant uses environmentally friendly cleaning supplies and energy efficient light bulbs. But at this Kimpton restaurant near Washington’s Penn Quarter, executive chef Robert Weland has done much more—from recycling cooking oil to making his own vinegars and sausage.

Weland has been at Poste since 2004, and his commitment to sustainability was recognized by the city in 2009 with an Environmental Excellence award. His harvests go directly from his patio garden to his customer’s plates. In summer months, he leads small groups to the local farmer’s market, after which he prepares dinner with their purchases. I recently stopped by the restaurant to learn the top 10 ways Weland is making Poste one of the most eco-friendly restaurants in Kimpton’s portfolio.

1. On-site organic garden: Weland said one of his biggest sources of pride is his organic vegetable and herb garden. “It started with 12 varieties of heirloom tomatoes,” he said. “Now we have two dozen fruit trees. We have asparagus, almonds, cherries, heirloom apples, herbs… The cool thing is that we plant three times a year now—spring, summer and fall.” The restaurant partners with the Washington Youth Garden at the National Arboretum, and staff go there once a week to volunteer and to get advice on their own garden. “The more the staff gets involved,” he said, “the more they understand the restaurant.”

2. On-site water purification: In 2007, Poste eliminated all bottled water by installing an on-site water filtration system, allowing the restaurant to serve both carbonated and non-carbonated purified water. In 2008, the restaurant began using the Natura system, which uses ultraviolet filtration. The restaurant serves the water in reusable bottles. “My biggest concern was the shipping costs and the plastic bottles in the landfill,” Weland said. “Bottled water’s a weird topic, because the filtered water can be better than what’s in the bottle.”

3. Sustainable seafood: Weland said Poste only serves sustainable seafood, according to the guidelines from the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch List. “We work with Prime Seafood,” he said. “The owner is a former marine biologist. He’s always steering me toward what’s most sustainable, like the reasons to stay away from blue fin tuna, which we all know now. But there’s so many others—skate, cod, scallops. When you go scallop dredging, you ruin their environment. People need to know the smaller fish—sardines, anchovies—need to be consumed. It’s really frightening to see what’s being over-fished. It’s our job [to serve sustainable seafood]. Who else should be advocating for this?”

4. Composting: All food scraps, organic waste and spoiled foods are composted. In 2009, Poste composted more than 40,000 pounds of food scraps. Part of the restaurant’s compost (including table scraps and paper menus with soy-based ink) is picked up by EnviRelation. The rest (coffee grounds, vegetable scraps from the kitchen, oyster shells) is saved for the garden. “We’re composting on two levels,” Weland said. “It’s important to our garden but also the fact that half our waste is now compost. Our waste costs are down 50 percent.”

5. Recycling cooking oil: All cooking oil is filtered and donated to Endless Summer Harvest (the source of Poste’s hydroponic lettuce, arugula, butter lettuce and mache), which uses it to heat their greenhouses in the winter.

6. Humanely-raised animals; using nose-to-tail: Weland works with Bev Eggleston, who sources his meats from small family farms in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. “He’s extra committed to raising animals humanely,” Weland said. “It makes a difference in the end product. If you have a good animal and feed it well, it’s translated to a good dish.” Poste offers “Poste Roasts” in the summer, during which outdoor rotisseries cook pigs, goats and lambs. Weland said using the whole animal is ecological because it means no waste. “We split a carcass with Proof. One month they get the innards, and the next month we get it. I’ve been surprised that people really want to try things like pig cheeks, liver, kidneys. They’re digging it. And it makes me happy—you’re not wasting anything.”

7. In-house production: The restaurant has started making several items in-house, including vinegars, jams and sausage. Weland gets overripe apples and peaches from Black Rock Orchard to make vinegar, and he is experimenting with making things like pickled ramps and fruit jams.

8. Biodegradable products: For its to-go orders, Poste uses biodegradable corn-based utensils, containers and straws from Bio-Plus Earth.

9. Market-to-Market dinners: Weland hosts a weekly market-to-market dinner, where he takes small groups on an excursion to the neighboring Penn Quarter Farmer’s Market. He shops for fresh produce, introduces guests to local farmers, and takes them back to the restaurant where he prepares a meal with their purchases. “It’s important for people to see how easy it is to cook with things they buy at the farmer’s market,” Weland said. “And we have a great relationship with almost all the farmers at the market. One woman sells flowers, so we go over there every week to get our centerpieces.”

10. Wine on tap: This spring, Poste is starting to serve wine without the bottle. The restaurant is installing an eco-friendly wine-on tap system, which saves money on shipping wine bottles. The wine (sauvignon blanc and merlot) will be served in the courtyard, poured directly from the cask.