Washington, DC – Earlier this week, Blue Bottle Coffee announced that it would be transitioning all of its US cafes to zero waste by the end of 2020, eliminating single-use cups and throwaway bags for coffee. The company will launch its first zero single-use-cup program in the San Francisco Bay area. The program will ask customers to either bring their own cup from home, order drinks for-here, or put down a deposit for a reusable cup they can exchange the next time they come in.
Since 2017, Nestlé has owned a 68 percent stake in Blue Bottle. As Blue Bottle CEO Bryan Meehan notes in the company’s announcement, “Our role at Blue Bottle is to inspire Nestlé to do more.”
In response to the news, Greenpeace USA Plastics Campaigner Kate Melges said:
“Blue Bottle’s commitment is significant because it not only tackles the issue of single-use plastics, it strikes a blow to our throwaway culture as a whole. Blue Bottle is right — we are not going to recycle our way out of this pollution crisis, and swapping in bioplastic or paper alternatives will only exacerbate other environmental destruction. To truly make a difference for both people and planet, we need more companies to move toward systems of reuse or package-free options as Blue Bottle has.”
“This commitment puts direct pressure on Nestlé to do more to end its reliance on single-use plastics. Blue Bottle and other companies that Nestlé owns a stake in should continue to pressure the consumer goods giant to show real leadership by eliminating single-use plastics immediately. Our oceans, waterways, and communities are depending on it.”
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Contact: Perry Wheeler, Greenpeace USA Senior Communications Specialist, P: 301-675-8766
