Cutting Single-Use Plastics in Our Employee Cafeterias

Fresh Del Monte’s global footprint means a meal in an employee cafeteria may be served beside a farm, packhouse, port or city office. These workplaces are practical places to reduce single-use plastics because food is prepared on site, purchasing is controlled and waste routes can be followed from the counter to disposal.

Our efforts to reduce single-use plastics in employee cafeterias worldwide focus on reusable serviceware, refill systems, procurement standards and measurement. Local conditions still shape the result, from reliable water and waste collection to food-safety rules. In Australia, those conditions are visible in offices, produce sites and remote work locations.

Starting with the highest-volume items

Employee cafeterias offer a controlled service environment, so we can identify where disposable plastic enters and change the most-used items first. Bottled drinks, takeaway cups, straws, lids, bags, cling film and portion packaging are reviewed. Essential hygiene uses are separated from conveniences that can be replaced safely.

A global standard should define the desired outcome, while each site selects equipment that fits its menu, staff and waste system. Reusable items need dependable washing and return points; refill stations need maintenance; compostables need local acceptance. One template cannot ignore those operating realities.

Making reuse the default service

Reuse works best when it requires less effort than disposal. We place return points near serving areas, allow staff to take approved containers home and provide clear instructions for washing and returning serviceware. A small deposit or staff incentive can help maintain return rates, but the system must still work when employees forget an item or choose another option.

Service design then determines whether the sustainable choice is practical. Refill stations can replace bottled water, durable cups can replace disposable ones and reusable trays can support cafeteria meals or packed lunches. Where dishwashing capacity is limited, sites can use shared washing arrangements or phase the change in high-volume areas first.

Communication must match the service model. Menus can identify reusable options, staff can explain return procedures and digital ordering platforms can avoid defaulting to disposable packaging. Recognising teams for reducing waste helps build ownership without shaming employees who need takeaway containers for medical, cultural or accessibility reasons.

What Australia reveals about local conditions

Across much of Australia, routine supermarket shopping no longer involves a lightweight plastic bag, although Western Australia continues to permit them. This change in an everyday habit shows both the value of clear policy and the limits of treating Australia as a single market. Cafeteria programs must account for different state rules, available suppliers and local waste infrastructure.

In Sydney and Melbourne, reusable cup discounts, refill networks and container-deposit systems have made alternative service models familiar to many workers. Melbourne’s container-deposit scheme, for example, has strengthened public familiarity with sorting and returning drink containers. Cafeterias can build on that behaviour by offering durable cups with straightforward returns, while maintaining standards suitable for busy workplaces.

Regulation also shapes the national market. The Commonwealth Packaging Waste Levy, introduced in 2022, targets packaging producers and is influencing supplier pricing and product design. The ACT’s single-use plastics law restricts items including plastic straws and selected takeaway foodware, with specified exemptions. At remote Australian sites, municipal recycling may be unavailable, so procurement cannot assume that every disposable item has a recovery pathway.

Connecting water and materials stewardship

Fresh Del Monte’s Peru water stewardship progress shows how water accountability extends beyond farms into the wider operating footprint. It provides a useful lens for cafeteria planning because refill systems, dishwashing and ice production all depend on local water availability and quality.

Refill stations do not automatically represent the best choice. They require reliable filtration, scheduled cleaning and a safe backup when maintenance is underway. Reusable cups also need an efficient washing process; otherwise, replacing bottled drinks may reduce plastic while increasing water or energy use. Each site therefore assesses the combined impact rather than focusing on packaging alone.

Material choices require the same local perspective. A compostable cup is useful only if the relevant waste stream accepts it, and a reusable container adds value only when it returns for repeated service. Procurement teams should examine supplier certifications, transport distances, replacement rates and actual disposal routes before treating an alternative as a durable improvement.

Turning policy into daily practice

Specialist food-service resources such as Shoku-E service guidance show how operational expertise can connect procurement, presentation and staff routines. The same principle applies worldwide: a policy becomes effective when employees can follow it without creating extra work, confusion or food-safety risks.

Global standards can define approved reusable materials, minimum durability requirements and supplier verification. Local teams can then adapt portion sizes, menus, equipment and return arrangements. Staff involvement is essential because employees see which products are used, which return points fail and which packaging options customers repeatedly reject.

Training should be brief and practical. Teams need to know how to operate refill equipment, separate waste streams, handle damaged reusables and respond to allergen concerns. Performance reviews and vendor meetings can then reinforce the standard, while recognition programmes encourage participation rather than relying on reminders alone.

Measuring what actually changes

A credible measurement system begins with a baseline for plastic use, reusable item circulation, refill consumption and waste contamination. Useful measures include single-use plastic used per thousand meals, the percentage of reusable serviceware returned, refill-station consumption and the number of vendors meeting procurement requirements. This creates a clearer view than focusing only on the weight of bins collected.

Site-level reviews should include purchasing records, staff feedback and observation of actual service. Disposal audits can reveal contamination or missing return points, while supplier checks can identify packaging that enters through deliveries rather than cafeteria service. Regular reviews help teams correct weak processes before a local practice becomes the standard elsewhere.

Regional reporting should preserve local context while allowing global comparison. A reusable system that performs well where washing and collection are readily available may perform differently where those services are limited. The measures must therefore track environmental outcomes alongside operational performance, including water, energy and transport effects, so reducing plastic does not simply transfer burdens to another resource.

The standard to remember

The strongest results come from treating waste prevention as a service-design responsibility. Cafeteria teams can identify high-volume plastic uses, establish clear alternatives and test them against local water, hygiene and waste conditions. Global guidance provides consistency, while regional teams provide the practical knowledge needed for implementation.

An equitable program also protects employee choice. Reusable options should be accessible, practical and suitable for different needs, with disposable options retained where hygiene or accessibility genuinely requires them. Employees, suppliers and waste partners all contribute to whether the system functions.

The standard to remember is simple: every meal served in a Fresh Del Monte cafeteria should require less disposable plastic, use resources responsibly and make responsible reuse the easiest practical choice.