Sustainability

"When the last tree leaf has fallen, the last fish is eaten and the last ocean run dry, one will realize that money can't be eaten"

A photo of Chantal diving and eating a stroopwafel

Scuba diving in a sea of plastic

We didn't only start Stroop Club, we're both also Scuba Instructors and have been diving for over 20 years.  We've sadly experienced the increase in the amount of plastics AND the decrease of the amounts and diversity of fish and corals in our oceans. We simply have to do our part to stop this.  We all know our planet is our only resource, there is no PLANet B. 

How could we explain ourselves building a successful, profitable business, but ruining our environment in the meantime? We all share this responsibility.

We put our money and time where our mouth is, we even founded uor own organization for coral restoration: Caribbean Reef Guardians. A non-profit working around the island of Roatán, Honduras, to protect, clean, restore and rebuild our precious coral reefs. Follow the non-profit on Instagram or find out how to help yourself at https://www.caribbeanreefguardians.com

Piicture of different flavors of stroop club stroopwafel 2-packs

A better world starts with... manufacturers!

Even as small as we are, we manage to use sustainable packaging materials. Because you, our consumers, can only change so much as what is available to you. When you try to avoid the use of single-use plastics in your daily life, you will find yourself constrained by what corporations & manufacturers are offering. 

Yes, we're looking at Nestle, Unilever, Mars and all other big corporations, we're calling on them to improve their business practices. If they would care a little more for our planet, they could spend more money on R&D for sustainable materials. THEY can make things like bio degradable packaging and post-consumer recycled materials mainstream and therefore available and affordable for everyone, to give YOU, as the consumer, better and easier choices!

What we do to make our business more sustainable

  • All of our products are 100% plant-based and vegan (our gluten-free stroopwafel being the only exception).
  • All of our products are made with organic ingredients. 
  • We use backyard compostable cellophane for our 8-packs.
  • There are two stroopwafels per package (instead of singles) so you can share with a friend and prevent an extra piece of waste.
  • Our cartons are 100% post-consumer recycled so no trees are ever harmed in the process.
  • We use certified sustainably sourced and organic palm oil and our Dutch government was involved in the certification process.
  • Our Europe made stroopwafels are Palm oil free.
  • Our chocolate stroopwafel includes only Fair Trade cacao powder.
  • All of our ingredients are non-GMO.
  • We keep the supply chains as short as possible to minimize our carbon footprint.
  • Our household has adopted a vegan, almost plastic-free lifestyle.
  • All B2C shipments are shipped carbon neutral.
  • We proactively work hard to restore and rebuild coral reefs in the Caribbean, support our work!
Icon showing the vegan symbol

Animal/plant friendly in every way

Our stroopwafels are dairy-free because we don't feel it's necessary to make use of the already strained massive dairy industry. (Why are animals referred to as “an industry” anyway?) However, lots of other dairy-free products contain destructive palm oil. Although the cows on American soil may be more at peace in this regard, the orangutans’ palm-rich territory in southeast Asia is being destroyed. Therefore, we are committed to using palm oil that is highly ethically sourced from small, independent farms in Colombia, and the palm oil that we use goes directly from the farm to the bakery. In Europe we don't palm oil at all, as the distances in the supply chain would be too long.

Our sustainability roadmap

  • We’re currently testing the shelf life of backyard compostable wrappers for our 2-packs.
  • All B2C shipments are carbon neutral and we’re working toward doing the same with B2B shipments. 
  • Every year during the holidays, we forgo shipping gifts to our partners so we can use that money to adopt corals in the Caribbean. 
  • We founded Caribbean Reef Guardians to actively work on site to protect and restore the coral reefs around the Bay Islands in Honduras.

Our path is certainly not easy and every step takes a lot of time and money to complete. Heavy research goes into sustainable materials, lessening our carbon footprint, logistics, and offsetting - a full time job all their own. Retailers and investors warn that our packaging is too expensive, but we need people to see the value of contributing to a better planet.

We choose to go slow and only work with people and companies who share our values. After loads of research and coming up empty, we finally found a company that believes as we do and is testing the shelf life of backyard compostable wrappers for our 2-pack stroopwafels.  

We’re proud to say that Stroop Club’s product line is certified organic. All but our gluten-free stroopwafel are full vegan, too. The final piece of our fully-vegan puzzle is to find an egg replacement suitable for the gluten-free waffle. We simply want to show that using animal products isn’t necessary; our stroopwafels are as delicious without them!

This isn't about money. This is about protecting our planet and protecting our environment. It's about safeguarding the home for our future generations, educating that we can all do our part with very little changes to our everyday lives, and about being an example for other starting businesses. It's about making people aware, making them see and believe we can actually make a difference by making better choices, and that we, the consumers, have the power to demand change.That's what we ask from you - your help in choosing the right products that are the least damaging to the environment while still being delicious. Demand the change, you're in charge!

Tips, tricks and ideas?

If you have any suggestions for us on how to make our business more sustainable, know of any great sustainable packaging options, or just want to share your thoughts, please let us know at eat@stroopclub.com or use the form below!

Send us your ideas and suggestions