La Torta Loca

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

Before & After

Socorro Martinez, Co-Owner La Torta Loca

CS_Fruitvale_09.26.24.pdf (4.41 MB)

Business Information:

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

net annual savings

8,462

disposable items reduced per year

249 lbs

annual waste reduction

ReThink Disposable - Stop waste before it starts

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.

Learn More

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