May 20, 2021

At this stage of the 21st Century, it has become completely impossible not to have a vested interest in the state of the environment and your role in it as a business (or individual).

Phrases like ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘environmentally conscious’ are very common in the catering industry these days, and the actions that relate to them can be as small as recycling your cardboard and paper packaging to changing to green energy sources to run your kitchens or switching to an electric delivery vehicle.

Very often, it is the seemingly small changes in the world that don’t have a massive impact on a business or individual, that can come together to make a much larger dent in the problem on a global scale.

We are talking, in this instance, about something as small scale as a catering tray!

When you think about catering trays, the most common line of thought leads to plastic, and more specifically, single-use plastic.

Plastic food trays have been a staple of kitchens and cafeterias all over the world for decades, and whilst they aren’t always in the ‘single-use’ category, they are still an area of food services that could stand to undergo a positive and forward thinking change.

This is where VerTerra helps make that change a real possibility.

Offering a sustainable and alternative option to classic plastic trays, the range of catering products from VerTerra are a prime example of the direction that the food industry should be aiming to go in.

What is a VerTerra catering tray?

VerTerra is an eco-focused company that is dedicated to creating sustainable alternatives to many of the food related items that we have for far too long been used to using once and throwing away.

Among the stylish and sleek range of dinnerware items that are available, a collection of open trays and lidded trays has been designed to give an environmentally-friendly option to those who are interested in making a positive change.

In a first of its kind process, VerTerra’s products are made entirely from fallen leaves. What does this mean? It means that during every stage of the manufacture process, no trees are ever harvested or cut down in order to collect manufacturing materials.

All VerTerra products, trays included, are made from 100% renewable sources, with every item also BPI certified for its compostable qualities.

In addition to these important properties, VerTerra is also committed to using no waxes, chemicals, additives or dyes in their products.

Essentially, VerTerra dinnerware is about as sustainable, as natural and as recyclable a range of dinnerware that you could ever hope to find. The range of dinnerware and cutlery is also much more attractive than plastic. Style hasn’t been sacrificed in the pursuit of eco-friendliness.

We always think about things like plastic bags and water bottles when considering which items are causing the most damage to the environment when being thrown away, but things like catering trays and every other kind of plastic cutlery are also adding to the problem without much mainstream attention.

The more often we as a society can make this simple switches to sustainable products, the better the outlook of the plastic crisis is going to look.

Why do you need to worry about catering trays?

As we have said, the thought of buying and using catering trays might not be something that is at the top of your priority list when it comes to being more environmentally-friendly, but you come into contact with these items much more regularly than you might imagine.

To help you see how important a sustainable catering tray could be, here are a few examples of usage from both a wholesale and a personal retail perspective.

 

Wholesale

Weddings

Weddings can often cater for hundreds of people, and rather than having a sit down meal with china plates and silver cutlery, a lot of couples opt for a large buffet that guests can explore at their own pace.

To accommodate such a large amount of food in a presentable way, the obvious option is food arranged on lots of trays.

16" X 16" Covered Tray (10-Count)

VerTerra trays can be laid out with food that is protected by their lids until it is time to serve the buffet.

If every wedding buffet made the decision to switch out plastic trays for sustainable ones, then you can imagine what kind of difference to the single-use problem it could make.

Restaurants

In the prevailing pandemic culture, more and more restaurants are offering takeout menus and delivery, and this delivery will most likely be packed on trays and in boxes made from single-use plastic.

Making the switch to VerTerra food-to-go boxes (available in various sizes) will immediately make the takeout process more environmentally-friendly, with no difference in quality to the customer base.

Many restaurants and take-aways have stopped giving out plastic cutlery, but to enhance the customer experience, VerTerra cutlery can be offered without conscience.

 

Catering

When caterers are required to make and deliver a large amount of food to a function, trays are an absolute essential.

Imagine the impact that can be had over time if catering companies start using reusable trays instead of single-use trays that get thrown away with every order. If you are asked to provide flatware and cutlery, VerTerra is there with its range!

Retail

Dinner Parties

VerTerra trays and the rest of the large range of dinnerware can help you to hold a dinner party that is as sustainable and environmentally-friendly as possible. The first time you try, it might feel like a novelty, but over time, you will see that having these products at your disposal is key to being eco-friendly.

 

Lunch Outdoors

When having a picnic with friends outdoors, in the past it would be common to have lots of plastic rubbish left over that needs to be thrown away.

If you invest in a variety of VerTerra products, then your picnic days become instantly more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

 

Family Barbecues

If you like to do a barbecue the proper way, then there will always be a ton of food to cook and arrange on tables around the garden!

What better way to do that then with catering equipment that you know you will be able to use again and again, and not have to feel compromised regarding its ethical and environmental reputation?

You and your catering business can make a difference every day if you change some of your single-use plastic for sustainable products. It’s not hard!

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