Going Green, Part II
Last month we looked at an overview of becoming a Certified Green Restaurant. This month, we take a look how the process worked for one multiunit operation.
If you’re a multiunit franchisee or area developer who’s interested in greening your restaurants, you may find some bottom-line benefits.
When The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL) first considered becoming a Certified Green Restaurant in 2003, Chief Operating Officer Mel Elias was dubious. “It seemed like a sensible program that would fit into our social-responsibility vision, but we had no idea whether it would really work,” he says.
CBTL decided to give the program a shot. It joined the Boston-based Green Restaurant Association, and in consultation with GRA Executive Director Michael Oshman targeted four initial areas for change, each of which has generated savings for the restaurants in addition to helping the environment:
1) Buying mugs for employees who used to use disposable cups saves about $2,430 per store annually.
2) Installing high-efficiency spray valves saves $614 per unit annually in energy, water and sewer costs. Plus, CBTL got the valves for free through a California program called Rinse & Save, recommended by GRA.
3) New energy-efficient lighting has resulted in an annual net savings of about $1,100 per store. The stores now use light bulbs that use 75 percent less energy than regular light bulbs, Elias estimates.
4) Cost savings from a new recycling initiative are harder to calculate because they vary from location to location, but the program received very good customer response, Elias says.
Green and Growing
CTBL started with 10 pilot stores in San Diego, then expanded the program to 64 stores, and this spring brought all 200 U.S. corporate-owned stores on board. Soon the program will be opened up to franchisee-owned units.
Green certification has exceeded CBTL’s expectations, from team-member and customer buy-in to its fiscal benefits, says Elias. The savings in disposable cups alone across the 200 stores for the first five years is projected at $2 million.
“This program is a win-win morally, socially and financially,” Elias says. “It’s turned out to have a very positive impact on our bottom line, and it helps us fulfill our commitment to community and the environment. We’ll be making the world a better place to live in, one store at a time.”