RP food company makes business sacrifices to 'go green'

MANILA, Philippines - Cutting costs and maximizing publicity may be the top priorities of many companies in trying economic times, but a local restaurant group is making a few business sacrifices for "going green." The Bistro Group Restaurant Concepts, which runs Italianni's, T.G. I. Friday's, Outback Steakhouse, Fish & Co., and Flapjacks, is turning more environment-friendly as it encourages more patrons to dine in its restaurants. "About two months ago, our president Bill (William) Stelton made a company decision that we should do our share in going green," Bistro Group Marketing Director Lisa Ronquillo said in an interview. Ronquillo said the Bistro Group has shifted to using biodegradable packaging materials, which are more expensive than regular non-biodegradable styropore which bears the company's restaurant names. The group has also decided to do away with printing restaurant names since this cost-saving measure offsets the increase in spending for the biodegradable packaging materials. The Bistro Group is also teaming up with Ayala Land, Inc. for environment-friendly waste management systems for their restaurants in Ayala malls. The company is also exploring various ways of implementing energy-efficient systems in its operations, which may include having to change light bulbs and other electrical facilities. "It is a commitment. Sometimes you have to know where to let go, but not beyond the limits because we also have to protect our margins," Ronquillo said. On Wednesday, the Bistro Group launched its partnership with Greenpeace for the environmental activist group's I Love My Rice GMO-Free campaign. Greenpeace campaigner Daniel Ocampo said genetically-modified rice are not commercially available in the Philippines, but the campaign gives the country a headstart at preventing its entry and contaminating locally-grown rice. He warned that genetically-modified rice usually come from the United States and China. Through the campaign, Greenpeace can help restaurants find GMO-free supplies for the dishes they serve. For the restaurants' part, the Bistro Group has pledged to use only GMO-free rice which are either locally-grown or imported from Vietnam and Thailand. The Bistro's 27 restaurants will also display "I Love My Rice GMO-Free" posters and distribute campaign brochures to spread information on GMOs. - GMANews.TV