Root beer floats will soon be guilt-free at A&W in Canada.
The North Vancouver-headquartered burger joint used World Oceans Day Friday to announce it will be eliminating all plastic straws by the end of this year – making it the first fast-food restaurant chain in North America to do so, they say.
“There’s no better spot for us to make our announcement but in our backyard,” said A&W Canada's director of distribution, equipment and packaging, Tyler Pronyk.
While paper is the more pricey option, A&W Canada estimates the move will divert 82 million plastic straws annually out of landfills.
“Paper straws are more expensive than plastic straws but we felt it was the next right step for us in our waste-reduction journey,” said Pronyk. “It was important to us, our franchisees, our staff, our guests, so we were thrilled to make the commitment this morning.”
Set to be rolled out in August, A&W’s white-coloured paper straws are 100 per cent biodegradable, compostable and sustainably sourced.
Pronyk’s team was involved in the selection process and said it was important to find a paper straw that passed the sturdiness test. The straws that won over A&W maintain their shape for two to three hours in a drink, but naturally biodegrade after three to six months in the environment.
“We’re confident that in two or three hours you wouldn’t see a soggy paper straw,” said Pronyk.
The use of plastic materials has been top of mind for A&W management, explained Pronyk, adding they’ve been looking at an environmental strategy since 2008 and using their iconic glass mug as the sustainable centrepiece.
“One of the things that’s so great about our glass mug is you don’t actually need a straw in our dining room,” said Pronyk.
A&W Canada, added Pronyk, recognizes the need to still offer a straw – soon a paper one – for customers who want a root beer on the fly.
As part of A&W's environmental strategy, the restaurants have been using compostable packaging, along with mugs, ceramic plates and stainless steel cutlery in their dining rooms.
A&W Canada is working with a U.S.-based company to supply the paper straws that can meet their volume needs, according to Pronyk.
A&W originated in the U.S. but as of the early 1970s A&W Canada has been operating as a separate company and has been privately held since the mid-1990s. Its corporate headquarters have been in Lower Lonsdale since the mid-1980s, according to Pronyk.
There are 925 or so A&W restaurants from North Van to Newfoundland, all of which will soon be going plastic straw-free.
