SaladStop!, a food and beverage chain, is advancing practical sustainability efforts as consumer focus on environmental issues wanes amid rising inflation and shifting priorities. The company aims to reach net-zero emissions across all outlets by 2030 through operational and design modifications in its stores located in Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Adrien Desbaillets, SaladStop!’s chief executive, noted that sustainability had lost some of its earlier momentum as a popular buzzword. Nonetheless, the company continues to integrate eco-friendly measures into its business model, which recently earned it the Impact Enterprise Excellence Award under the small and medium enterprises category.

Currently, SaladStop! operates two net-zero outlets in Singapore, at CapitaSpring and Marina Bay Link Mall. These newer stores have reduced their carbon footprint by approximately 30 percent compared with traditional outlets through the use of recycled and upcycled materials. Examples include chairs made from recycled plastic, a wall constructed from 57,000 recycled chopsticks, and tables in Thailand fashioned from coffee husks. The company also plans to apply similar sustainable practices as it renovates or opens new locations.

Desbaillets emphasized that designing net-zero stores does not significantly increase costs, with expenses comparable to or slightly exceeding those of conventional outlets when assessed holistically. Beyond store design, SaladStop! also prioritizes sustainability in its menu offerings. Approximately 88 percent of the ingredients used are plant-based, balancing customer demand for animal proteins with an effort to reduce emissions linked to animal farming.

The company additionally focuses on local sourcing to lower its environmental impact. Partnerships with local vertical and mushroom farms in Singapore, along with dedicated supply chain development in the Philippines over the past decade, exemplify this approach. This localized sourcing strategy has the dual benefit of reducing emissions and enhancing supply chain resilience, a factor that proved crucial during the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Desbaillets underscored that involving customers remains essential to the company’s sustainability objectives. In 2024, SaladStop! launched the Bring Your Own Bowl initiative at its two Singapore net-zero outlets. Under this program, customers who do not bring reusable containers on the last Friday of each month cannot receive takeaway meals in disposable packaging; instead, they have options such as borrowing reusable containers, purchasing collapsible bowls accompanied by a complimentary salad, or dining in. This initiative aims to encourage sustainable behavior by providing incentives rather than imposing penalties.

“We can implement many changes within stores and supply chains, but ultimately, the purchasing choices made by customers drive impact,” Desbaillets remarked. SaladStop! views consumer engagement as a critical component in advancing its sustainability goals while maintaining practical and accessible solutions.