Horniman Café replaces single-use plastics with plant-based packaging

The Café at the Horniman has replaced single use plastics with plant-based products, making it more environmentally friendly than ever before.

From 1 July the Horniman Café is using a range of 19 products made from plants not plastic – from disposable coffee cups and takeaway boxes to sandwich wrappers and straws – each replacing a non-recyclable or single use plastic product.

The move adds to the Café’s existing green credentials, which include turning food waste into liquid compost which is used to fertilise the Horniman’s 16 acres of Gardens. The Café uses sustainable fish, fair-trade tea and coffee, free-range eggs, and local suppliers for organic and free range meat and other products.

The new range is supplied by Vegware and includes coffee cups lined with plant-based polylactic acid (PLA) and products made from a variety of plant-based materials such as recycled sugarcane, all from renewable sources and commercially compostable.

We're pleased to be able to make this significant change, to offer our visitors a greener service and reduce the Café's environmental footprint, in line with the Horniman's wider concern for environmental issues.
Brad Owen, Head of Commercial

The Horniman is currently looking at alternatives to bottled water, and in the meantime offers free tap water refills to visitors as part of the Refill campaign, as well as selling reusable water bottles in its gift shop.

The Horniman Café Ltd. is owned and run by Anthony Ienco on behalf of Horniman Museum Enterprises.