Tackling Food Waste With Rococo Chocolates

For the love of all things green, Rococo has been working hard to reduce its food waste. From our sale collection promoting chocolates close to their best before date, to our work with Too Good To Go, we are doing what we can to reduce our impact on Mother Earth. In today’s blog, we’ll walk you through everything we’ve been doing and why. So sit back, with a cup of tea and maybe one of our Vegan Milky Sea Salt Bars and have yourself a read.

Food Waste Facts:

Food Waste is one of the biggest contributors to climate change. As a population, we consume and waste with alarming abandon. The Action Group, WRAP, explains that the UK still produces 9.5 million tonnes of food waste per year.

To put this in perspective, that’s the same weight as 63,333 Blue Whales.

Globally, food production and consumption is responsible for 30% of carbon emissions.

So as a chocolatier, we have a responsibility to you and the planet to take action.

How Is Food Wasted?

As a society, we have been taught to be careful eaters and shoppers who demand the best. Arguably, we’ve taken this too far and equally, it’s all too easily done.

Misshapen and wonky fruit and vegetables are thrown away by us at home, the farmers who grow them and the shops that sell them.

Some food is lost, damaged, or goes off in transit.

Food close to or past its sell by date is thrown way by retailers and until now, this included Rococo too.

Food we simply aren’t in the mood for is thrown away.

What Can We Do To Reduce Food Waste?

The buck doesn’t stop with us. There are steps we can all take to reduce Food Waste and our impact on the planet. 

The Rococo Team have cobbled together some top tips for reducing Food Waste.

  1. Find delicious ways to use ugly, wonky or ageing fruit. Like a delicious buttery crumble, or compote to top your porridge in this cold, dreich, weather.
  2. Get creative with leftovers! Our very own Marie-Lorraine Michot’s Nan uses hers to make “Left-Over Quiche”. A family delicacy we’re all keen to try.
  3. If in doubt you’ll eat it, freeze it! Loaves of sourdough from Too Good To Go, that big batch cook that doesn’t quite fit in the fridge, meat you buy on offer. All of it can be frozen and saved for another day.
  4. Be mindful of use by dates. Best Before Dates are a handy guide, but most food is fine even a few days after. Pay attention to the use by date instead and put food to delicious use before it expires.
  5. Plan your meals! Relax with a cup of tea, a notepad and a list of what you’ve got in the cupboards and plan your meals ahead to you use every last morsel.

What Is Rococo Chocolates Doing To Reduce Food Waste?

Earlier this year, we created a Zero Waste Collection. It’s brimming with discounted chocolates and treats that are close to their best before date but still oh, so, delicious. Each product is marked with their best before date, so be mindful when you shop BUT with each purchase, you are helping us and the gifting population tackle food waste. 

Our Chocolate Shops in Belgravia, Marylebone & Chelsea work with Too Good To Go. A nifty app that allows you to buy food that would otherwise go to waste. Simply select one of our stores via the app, and a magic bag of discounted chocolates could be yours!

These are small, sustainable, steps but two of many that Rococo will take!