Harrison Goes Completely Compostable | Harrison Catering

New Branded Eco Packaging Will Reduce Environmental Impact

Harrison Catering Services is reducing its environmental impact and increasing its commitment to sustainability by introducing a whole range of completely compostable branded eco packaging across its business. The change makes it the UK’s biggest contract caterer to go completely compostable.

The new packaging is made by Vegware, the only completely compostable packaging company operating globally, which has been manufacturing the world’s best eco products since 2006. All of its packaging can be recycled together with food waste and can biodegrade in under 12 weeks.

Gareth Harrison, Joint Managing Director, said:

“This is a hugely exciting and important milestone for Harrison. It will not only benefit the environment, but will support our own sustainability goals as well as those of so many of our clients. We spent a great deal of time investigating how we could make our packaging more environmentally friendly, and Vegware were by far the best solution in terms of the quality of their products and the support they offer. Like Harrison, they believe in forming strong partnerships.”

“Harrison has also received great support from our long-term disposable product supplier, Key Catering, which helped ensure the smooth introduction of the new packaging into our business.”

Going beyond vague claims of biodegradability, Vegware’s packaging is certified compostable in under 12 weeks. This is the key to its ability to be recycled right in the food waste bin. Using renewable, sustainably-sourced natural and recycled materials, with significantly less embodied CO2 than conventional packaging, further reduces the environmental impact of Vegware packaging.

Vegware’s Group Recycling Consultant Eilidh Brunton explains: “Our Eco Audits quantify the environmental benefit of the switch, using verified data from an independent carbon consultant. Harrison’s initial order has 10.5 tonnes less embodied carbon than conventional packaging and replaces 2.7 tonnes of virgin material with recycled content. Regular tailored Eco Audits will provide a useful reporting tool to continually track these savings. We are extremely impressed with Harrison taking this pioneering approach, enabling its sites to go completely compostable.”

Furthermore, Vegware’s free service, The Food Waste Network, can help individual sites locate local food waste recycling and their environmental team is on hand to offer recycling advice, educational tools and bespoke bin signage to facilitate Harrison’s sites in their journey to zero waste.

Gareth Balch, School Business and Development Manager at Archbishop Tenison’s CE High School in Croydon, which is currently celebrating its 300th year, said: “The move to completely compostable branded packaging in our dining facility is a significant, positive change that we will be championing to our students and parents. The impact that Harrison has had on the school’s catering in the 18 months since they joined us has been very positive, and this important commitment to environmental sustainability is a great example of how they are always working to introduce new ideas and initiatives.”

Notes to Editors
Founded in 1994, Harrison Catering Services is an independent, family-owned company providing contract catering to clients across the UK.

The Harrison proposition—Food with Thought—is centred around the on-site preparation and cooking of top quality meals made with fresh ingredients. Over 100 clients enjoy a Harrison foodservice, with more than 100,000 meals being served each day by approximately 2,000 staff across more than 270 locations.