Our vision is to create a food system that’s packaged sustainability from farm to table. That means no single use of plastics or packaging. We've already made significant improvements here!
For example, we’ve replaced plastic cooling components with 100% compostable and reusable wool liners.
When it comes to the packing we use to get your food to your front door our focus is on circularity. This means we use products that follow a circular resource pathway and can be reused multiple times before they're composted or recycled. Goodbye single use boxes!
So how are we tracking?
Everything we use at our food hubs to package and deliver your food is reusable or recyclable. We’re 99% plastic free and are working with our producers to achieve the same goal.
It’s what’s on the inside that counts, right?
Well, yes….
But when it comes to packaging we admit we are just as obsessed with what our products are ‘wearing’ as to their inner qualities, like freshness, flavour and quality. As a company tracking toward zero waste, it's our aim that every piece of packaging we use to deliver absurdly fresh groceries to you is as reusable, recyclable, or compostable as possible.
Nude rules
Our favourite packaging? Nothing at all. Fruits and vegetables, in particular, are encouraged to arrive at your place nude. For everything else, we’ve prepared a little guide as to how to best manage our packaging materials. Before we dive in, be sure to check out the recycling page on your local council’s website, as some advice may differ.
Your Planet-Friendly Guide to YFC Packaging
Aluminium foil trays and pie plates
Could you re-use these at home? Think kids craft or your next homemade pie. Simply give them a wipe to clean and pop in a kitchen draw. If not, add it to your council recycling bin - aluminium foil is very recyclable.
Bread Tags
Drop them into our Tighes HIll or Warners Bay hub to add to our big jar of tags! Once we have a good amount, we’ll send them to Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs
Brown Paper Bags
Reuse these guys yourself (great for housing snacks on the run - popcorn, sandwiches etc). Once you are ready to part ways, place in your council recycling bin or shred up for your home compost.
Glass Bottles
When it comes to recycling, glass is all class! It's 100% recyclable and can be endlessly recycled with no loss of quality - how good is that?
While you can add your glass products to your own council recycling bin, we currently accept returns on glass bottles from Udder Farm, Serious Deliria and Pura Vida Organics Kombucha. Please make sure to give the bottles a good wash before returning to your local Hub, or leave them out for our delivery driver to collect.
For Kombucha bottle return, we offer a code for a small discount off your next Kombucha purchase.
Did you know:
- Glass produced from recycled glass reduces related air pollution by 20% and related water pollution by 50%.
- Recycling glass reduces the space in landfills that would otherwise be taken up by used bottles and jars.
Plastics punnets and cling film
We currently use punnets to house our travel-delicate berries and cherry tomatoes. (When in season, our sweet little truss tomatoes make a great plastic-free option). Punnets and cling film can go in your council recycling bin for kerbside pickup.
Plastic bags and packets
A plastic bag can take 20 years to break down, often leaving tiny pieces in the ocean, hazardous to marine life. Try rinsing out your bags, hanging to dry and repurposing. Once you’ve worn them out, the team at REDcycle are experts for recycling soft plastics.
YFC delivery boxes, woolpack liners and ice packs
We welcome your cardboard delivery box, woolpack liner and ice gel packs back with welcome arms…. OK, that’s a bit of an exaggeration...
Simply return them to your local Hub next time you pick up, or for our delivery customers - leave out for our delivery driver to bring back to base. We aim to reuse a delivery box before taping up a new one.
We are particularly pleased with our woolpack box liners They are made from sheep’s wool unsuitable for the textile industry, which is normally designated a waste product and destined for landfill. The woolly packing strip is encased in food grade film (recyclable or compostable) making the whole product sustainable!
Please make sure that boxes are in good condition and stored in a clean dry area until return or collection. If possible, break the boxes down into a flat-pack for us. If your boxes cannot be reused by fellow customers, pop put them in your home recycling bin.
Work in Progress
We take our packaging seriously. Just as we carefully select our food producers, we think long and hard about the packaging the goods come in too.
But to be honest, we are well aware that we're not there - yet. There are some products in our range that are not as sustainable as we would like - yet. Rest assured we are always on the lookout for a better way to do things. It’s a joint effort - please know that if YOU have any great ideas and suggestions for us, we are all ears! Talk to us at hello@yourfoodcollective.com
Shop plastic free
Shopping plastic free with us is easy. Head to the ‘Plastic Free’ tab on the website.
If in doubt
Forgive me for stating the obvious... but if you're not sure what can be done with a particular piece of packaging, take a look at the packaging itself for recycling options.
If you’re still uncertain about what to do with Your Food Collective packaging, give us a shout. We'd be happy to (to the best of our ability) advise you on how to deal with it - with the planet top of mind.
