Group Lead, Ved Krishna
It’s not often you get to speak with an influential customer and a key supplier – at the same time! We had that opportunity this week when Ciara Lamia, the Director of Supply Chain at Burgerville, and Beau Whitney, the CEO of Everyday Hemp, joined Ved on #GoodGarbage! Enjoy this conversation about
0:00 – Introduction to Burgerville and Bo Whitney's Packaging Partnership
Sierra Lamama from Burgerville and Bo Whitney, CEO of a sustainable packaging supplier, explain their partnership and what makes Burgerville’s supply chain approach unusual for a regional fast food chain.
10:00 – The Economics of Sustainable Packaging — A Full-Cost View
Bo’s firm, Whitney Economics, analyses packaging through a total cost lens that includes externalities conventional cost models ignore. He explains how that framing changes the procurement conversation when the numbers look very different once true environmental costs are included.
21:00 – Hemp and Agri-Residue as the Next Generation of Compostable Materials
Bo is developing packaging from hemp and agricultural residues. He explains the materials, the commercial pathway, and why he thinks agri-residue feedstocks make more sense than many of the alternatives currently being promoted.
32:00 – How Burgerville Switched Its Entire Supply Chain to Compostable
Burgerville moved its packaging from petroleum-based to compostable across its entire chain. Sierra explains the transition, including supplier conversations, operational challenges, composting infrastructure partnerships, and how they told the story to staff and guests.
43:00 – Guest Experience Must Not Be Compromised
Sustainable packaging only works if customers actually use it correctly and enjoy the experience. Burgerville’s philosophy is serve with love, which means every guest interaction with packaging has to be as good as or better than what it replaced.
53:00 – Seeking Out Negative Feedback to Get Better
Bo and Sierra actively seek negative feedback. They explain why that approach, which sounds counterintuitive, is actually one of the main reasons their partnership keeps producing better solutions.
64:00 – Food Safety, Bioplastic Migration, and Regulatory Compliance
Any bioplastic or natural coating used in food service has to meet strict food contact safety standards. Sierra explains how Burgerville handles food safety compliance with new materials and what the monitoring process looks like in practice.
75:00 – Regenerative Supply Chains and the Five-Year Vision
Burgerville’s long-term vision involves regeneratively sourced fibre and a supply chain that actively builds soil health. Sierra explains how far along that path they are and what the next five years realistically look like.
Let’s come together!
