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Located in Fruitvale Village, Powderface serves the best beignets west of New Orleans, serving both traditional and vegan beignets for those that want to have the taste of the south without the guilt. Powderface also serves coffee, smoothies, sandwiches, and crepes for a full dining experience. Powderface made a 35% switch of their total disposable foodware purchases to go 100% reusable for their dine-in guests. Powderface will not only divert over 77,000 single pieces of harmful disposable plastics every year but will also enjoy a $3,000 annual savings.

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:

  • White Hot Drink Dome Lid 
  • Flat Straw Slot Lid
  • Paper coffee cup 12 oz./16 oz./20 oz. 
  • Clear plastic cold cup 16 oz./20 oz. 
  • Bio #1 Kraft Takeout Container
  • Hot Paper Cup 8 oz.
  • Eco Kraft Sandwich Bag
  • Disposable Wooden Stir Sticks 7.5'' 

Recommendations Implemented:

  • Dine-in reduction with reusable cups
  • Ceramic coffee cups
  • Stainless steel cold cups
  • Reusable serving baskets
  • Dine-in reduction with reusable plates, serving baskets, and trays
  • Reduction for dine-in by request
Document
Powderface
Business Information:

3411 E 12th St
#134
Oakland, CA 94601
United States

The Bottom Line

$3,011

net annual savings

77,289

disposable items reduced per year

1,553 lbs

annual waste reduction

We can definitely use the help in transitioning back to reusables after COVID. We have been hit hard as a business during this time and want to thank ReThink Disposable for the help in complying with the new law!

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Lauren Montoya, Owner
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

Related Case Studies

Parra’s

Parra’s is a traditional Mexican restaurant in the heart of the Fruitvale. Parra’s was already using reusable foodware for their dine-in guests but were still relying on plastic straws and sauce cups. Replacing them with stainless steel reusable foodware will positively impact the community diverting over 41,000 pieces of harmful disposable plastics annually.

Hogar Latino Panaderia Y Restaurant

Located in the heart of the Fruitvale on International Boulevard, Hogar Latino Panaderia Y Restaurant serves Honduran and Salvadoran food with an amazing juice bar and, arguably, some of the best tamales in Oakland. After switching to 100% resusable dine-in foodware, they'll be saving $3,120 annually!

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.