McDonald’s is the first restaurant chain to Incorporate UBQ™ Materials
The use of UBQ™ Materials at McDonald's restaurants in Latin America
Expanding from serving trays, Arcos Dorados, world’s largest independent McDonald’s franchisee, is now using UBQ™ Materials in bench seating and electrical system components, showcasing new applications in sustainability in their new São Paulo Restaurant.
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UBQ™ Materials a substitute for plastic
UBQ™ Materials, climate tech developer of advanced materials made from waste, announced the expansion of its partnership with Arcos Dorados, the world’s largest independent McDonald’s franchisee. Arcos Dorados has become the first UBQ partner to implement building components ‘Made with UBQ™.’ The new electrical conduits, connection boxes, and modular wood boards will be showcased in Arcos Dorados’ São Paulo-based restaurant conceptualised to showcase sustainability initiatives of the company. UBQ™ Materials is a plastic substitute made from non-recyclable household waste, such as diapers, banana peels and chicken bones.
Arcos Dorados invited the public into the São Paulo McDonald’s restaurant beginning August 30, 2023, allowing visitors to explore the various sustainable solutions implemented throughout the branch. In addition to UBQ™ based components, Arcos Dorados has also integrated initiatives already implemented in several restaurants, such as condensation-based water recovery and renewable energy source for the restaurant, with other innovations including the wooden structure and recycling materials on the walls and floors.
How Arcos Dorados and UBQ™ Materials are creating a brighter future
Arcos Dorados has also developed educational and informative materials, displayed around the restaurant, encouraging more environmentally conscious lifestyle choices and educating customers on optimal waste management practices.
Arcos Dorados has been working with UBQ™ Materials since 2019, making the company a centrepiece of its sustainable materials strategy. Through strategic partnerships with Brazilian manufacturers, UBQ and Arcos Dorados have successfully integrated UBQ™ into serving trays in McDonald’s restaurants across Brazil and the Caribbean. With a keen emphasis on circular economy, Arcos Dorados is replacing resource-intensive materials and lowering carbon emissions towards fulfilling its global sustainability goals, which include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 36% in restaurants and offices and by 31% throughout the supply chain by 2030.
“When Arcos Dorados began the cooperation with UBQ™ Materials, we challenged the team to find applications to use UBQ™ throughout our McDonald’s branches and supply chain. Our collaboration has been an important part of our approach to building sustainable operations and is setting a new standard for environmental responsibility in the restaurant sector,” said Marie Tarrisse, Head of Social Impact and Sustainability at the Brazil Division of Arcos Dorados.
To create the new reduced-emissions electrical conduits and connection boxes, Tigre, the largest pipe manufacturer in Latin America, collaborated with UBQ™ Materials to develop an eco-conscious solution utilising UBQ™ that maintained all the functional performance required for the electrical system.
From UBQ’s sustainable McTrays, to a UBQ™ Materials McDonalds restaurant
Similarly, UBQ™ Materials worked with Brazilian manufacturer Madeplast to incorporate UBQ™ into modular wood boards in the bench structures of the restaurant – the first time UBQ™ Materials has been incorporated into wooden building components. Project partners are demonstrating the functional integration of UBQ™ with existing composites to create eco-friendly alternatives to everyday materials and products.
Every kilogram of Israeli-manufactured UBQ™ replaces 1 kg of oil-based plastic, diverts 1.3 kg of waste from landfills and incinerators, and prevents up to 11.7 kg of CO2eq emissions measured over a 20-year time horizon.
“Collaborations like these are driving meaningful change, showing that sustainability does not have to come at the cost of performance or companies’ bottom lines,” said Albert Douer Co-CEO and Chairman of UBQ™ Materials. “It takes leaders and pioneers to set the tone for others to follow. Arcos Dorados and McDonald’s are taking on this responsibility within their industry.”
The latest collaboration builds on the initial partnership between the companies that introduced sustainable McTrays “Made with UBQ™” in January 2021. Deployed across McDonald’s restaurants all over Brazil, these trays have achieved climate positivity for the estimated climate impact of the trays’ materials over a 20-year time horizon. Building on this achievement, Arcos Dorados expanded the use of “Made with UBQ™” serving trays across McDonald’s restaurants in Brazil and the Caribbean.
About Arcos Dorados
Arcos Dorados is the world’s largest independent McDonald’s franchisee, operating the largest fast service restaurant chain in Latin America and the Caribbean. It has the exclusive right to own, operate and grant franchises of McDonald’s restaurants in 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries and territories with more than 2,300 restaurants, operated by the Company or by its sub-franchisees, that together employ over 95 thousand people. The Company also utilises its Recipe for the Future ESG platform to positively impact the communities in which it operates. Arcos Dorados is listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ARCO). To learn more about the Company, please visit the Investors section of their website.
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Website: UBQ™
