KFC Canada to replace plastic buckets with bamboo by 2021

KFC’s new bamboo packaging. Photo Credit: CNW Group/KFC Canada

In a move that it says will eliminate 55 tonnes of plastic waste annually, restaurant chain KFC Canada has announced that all poutine and chicken bowls will permanently be served in bamboo buckets by the end of 2020, along with the goal of scaling the packaging solution to include all its famous buckets by the end of 2021.

KFC’s other buckets are currently made from paper pulp.

“KFC has the most iconic packaging in the world. As we looked to find a reliable and eco-friendly solution for our buckets, bamboo emerged as the winner,” said Armando Carrillo, Innovation Manager, KFC Canada, in a July 20 statement. “Bamboo is one of the most renewable and fastest growing materials, is naturally anti-bacterial and 100% biodegradable, requires no pesticides, and regenerates itself very quickly when harvested. Bamboo is one of many ways we’re keeping harmful waste out of Canadian landfills.”

KFC has been testing bamboo buckets in select Ontario and Quebec restaurants since November 2019, and says the buckets have received positive responses from team members and customers.

In 2019, KFC eliminated 50 million straws and 10 million plastic bags from all restaurants and committed to eliminating all non-recoverable and non-reusable plastic packaging by 2025 – spanning lids, cups, cutlery, and more.