Just in time for Earth Day, Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt, the quick-service brand known for serving real fruit smoothies with over 30 locations nationwide, announced an exciting new exploration into the field of sustainability, as it begins testing carrot straws for use in its smoothies and fresh squeezed juices
Recent estimations using trash collected on U.S. coastlines during cleanups over five years show that there are nearly 7.5 million plastic straws lying around America’s shorelines. These straws are damaging not only aquatic life nationwide, but are also polluting America’s natural resources, causing long-lasting damage to the country. While many businesses have taken to banning straws altogether, Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt wanted to explore alternative options that still take guests who need to use straws into consideration – creating the first prototype for the carrot straw, a hollowed-out carrot that performs like a plastic straw but can be either eaten or composted after use.
“As I’m sure everyone is well aware, plastic straws are one of the world’s top polluters, damaging our national resources irreparably,” says Andrew Steinberg, Chief Operating Officer, Villa Restaurant Group. “At Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt, we feel for the sea turtles and all our ocean creatures. As such, we wanted to begin thinking about an alternative to the simple plastic straw we use so often in smoothie and juice consumption. We’ve started testing a prototype for a carrot straw in the hopes that one day we may be able to serve all our nutritious juices, smoothies and more with a healthy, edible and ultimately environmentally friendly straw option nationwide.”
At this time, Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt is still in the testing and planning phase of product design.
Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt also offers real fruit smoothies, fresh-squeezed juices, nonfat frozen yogurt sundaes and an assortment of natural grab-and-go snacks. Its customizable menu model offers guests the option of choosing a delicious smoothie from a list of classic flavor combos, which can be made dairy-free upon request, or creating their own by combining fresh ingredients and adding a nutrient rich boost.
