Located on International Boulevard,you will find La Torta Loca a quaint, mainly take-out restaurant that serves delicious tortas, sopas, and standard Fruitvale fare of burritos and tacos. Since their business is 75% to-go, we only converted 25% of their disposables to reusable, and yet La Torta Loca shows that even small reuse changes can add up and save restaurant owners money.
Five local Fruitvale restaurants — Emil’s Burger & Breakfast, Hogar Latino Panaderia Y Restaurant, La Torta Loca, Parra’s, and Powderface — teamed up to reduce single-use disposable waste by over 187,600 individual pieces and over 3,240 pounds annually. After an average payback period of 2.74 months, this group of restaurants will collectively be saving over $10,000 every year by purchasing fewer disposables — dramatically reducing plastic pollution in their operations, and providing real-time examples of businesses that are both eco-friendly and economical in the Fruitvale community. Read the full Fruitvale Community Restaurants Case Study here.
Packaging practices prior to ReThink Disposable:
- Paper cups 32 oz.
- Clear cups 16 oz./20 oz./24 oz.
- Coffee cups 20 oz.
- Coffee lids
- Plastic knives, forks, spoons, and straws
- 8 7/8'' Foam plates
- Paper plates
Recommendations Implemented:
- SAN reusable tumblers
- Ceramic coffee cups
- Dine-in reduction with reusable coffee cups
- Stainless steel knives, forks, spoons, and straws
- Stoneware plates
- Aluminum plates
3419 International Blvd
Oakland, CA 94601
United States
The Bottom Line
La Torta Loca made a small 25% switch of their disposable foodware to reusable (which represented 100% conversion for their dine-in guests) and will still avoid nearly 250 pounds of toxic plastic waste annually.
$934
8,462
249 lbs
Reducing Single-Use Food Packaging
ReThink Disposable works with local governments, businesses and institutions, and consumers of single use food packaging to inspire a cultural shift away from single-use "throwaway" lifestyle.