Ecos teams up with Coke

Portland-based Ecos Consulting and The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) have partnered to help the drink company’s restaurant customers adopt more environmentally sustainable practices. 

The two companies in May launched the FoodService Environmental Program, available through Atlanta-based Coca-Cola’s Web site for food service customers.

“We’re excited to bring this to restaurants because they use so many resources,” Ecos’ vice president of marketing, David Weigel says.

According to Coke, restaurants use almost five times more energy per square foot than other commercial buildings, with inefficient cooking and storage equipment gobbling the bulk of that power, making them a prime target for increased efficiency measures.

The nationwide program offers three tiers of options for restaurants, with the initial stages funded by Coca-Cola. The first two tiers include mostly low- and no-cost measures, including assessing resource consumption, in which Ecos assists with data collection and analysis. The third tier is where Ecos hopes restaurants will end up, Weigel says. With a more rigorous assessment process, the final tier includes an action plan for water and energy efficiency, waste diversion and emissions reporting.

Coca-Cola and Ecos began working together in 2008, assessing the water and energy use of Burgerville, a Vancouver, Wash.-based fast food chain with about 40 stores.