New Zealand burger chain, Better Burger took a stand for Earth Day (Sunday 22nd April) by challenging its customers to eat everything on their plate, including the packaging, and it went down a treat.
To celebrate the global environmental protection awareness day, the company’s Mt Eden restaurant wrapped its burgers in edible packaging and asked customers to eat up.
The edible wrappers proved popular with media featuring on 1 News, The AM Show, Newstalk ZB, Radio Live and Herald on Sunday, amongst many others, ensuring countrywide attention for the chain and a healthy turnout on the day.
More than 500 customers took up the sustainable challenge, leaving the restaurant with empty bins and clean plates.
Better Burger General Manager Rod Ballenden identified Earth Day as a golden opportunity to promote Better Burger’s sustainable cred but said the trick was finding the right mechanic.
“People don’t want to be lectured when they’re chowing down on a burger so we came up with a digestible concept to get the message out that Better Burger is committed to sustainability – not just for Earth Day but every day.
“Eating the wrapper is novel and a bit weird – something for customers to talk about with their mates. It’s not every day you’re encouraged to eat rubbish,” says Rod.
He stressed that the attention-grabbing activation was just one example of Better Burger’s commitment to reducing fast food waste.
“We’re the only fast food chain in all of Australasia with fully plant-based, compostable packaging. We know people care about this stuff as much as we do, so Earth Day was the perfect timing to go public,” says Rod.
The four-year-old company is on the up and up with a sixth restaurant opening before winter on Auckland’s Ponsonby Road and sights next set on Tauranga and Christchurch.
“This isn’t the last you’ve seen of Better Burger. We’re proud to be a Kiwi company doing business differently and we look forward to getting our teeth into the next campaign,” says Rod.
