Our plastic pledge: Recyclables vs Compostable with Valefresco

As a B Corp, we care about the environment at our core 🌎 That’s why we hired Sustainable Packaging Expert Neil to help us remove single-use plastic from our boxes 👍 It’s a fine balance between changing packaging, yet ensuring our food is still top-notch when it gets to you. One of our biggest challenges is fresh herbs & salad leaves 🌱🌿🍃

Last week we went to visit Andrew at Valefresco, one of our trusted suppliers, to check out the progress on recyclable and compostable materials. Watch the video below, where founders Myles and Giles check out the ongoing tests.

What's the current situation...

Our Rocket and Kale comes from Valefresco packed into plastic film. We've been working closely with our suppliers, like Valefresco, to achieve a more sustainable solution for these range of products and more, in our mission to remove single-use plastic from our boxes'

What does the future look like...

Behind the scenes, lots of ongoing tests are taking place at Valefresco with two new materials: a low-density polyethylene film, which is widely recyclable and a home compostable offering that breaks down within a year. From machine tests to heat sealing, micro-biological shelflife testing and more, every change is being closely monitored and so far initial results for rocket look promising.

What impact will this have...

Given each month we deliver tens of thousands of bags of rocket kale, changes that might seem small on the surface, take weeks of testing and will have a large impact across our supply chain. All tests do take time, as we have a responsibility to our customers to provide a safe and high-quality product. We hope to lead by example in an industry where plastic is widely used.

Stay tuned for regular updates like these, by following us on social media @mindfulchefuk and join the conversation in our customer community. Or type 'plastic' in the search bar at the top of this blog for more articles, from salmon packaging to mushrooms and more.