Dinner is served: delicious and with no single-use plastics

Veronique Robin is the founder of the Illawarra’s newest sustainability-focused meal delivery service – one that allows customers to save time and spare the planet.

Before starting The Loop Kitchen, Veronique worked with elderly clients who would receive regular delivery meals – which is when she noticed a critical element. 

“I couldn’t help but notice the amount of waste associated with these meals,” she said. “The plastic, the throwaway containers – it was a lot. I have always loved cooking and helping people and I am passionate about doing what I can to reduce waste and help the planet, so I decided to start researching a more sustainable way to provide these meals.”

Born in Canada, Veronique travelled to Australia in 2019 for travels and fell in love – with the surf, the people and now-partner Cohen O’Neill. She has lived “imperfectly plastic free” for almost five years and says one of the hardest places to avoid plastic is in the kitchen: “I wanted to do something about that.” 

Veronique came up with The Loop Kitchen – fresh, healthy meals delivered in reusable packaging.

“I don’t use single-use plastics,” she says. “I spent two years researching and organising the most sustainable, cost-effective way to provide this service.

“I cook in a commercial kitchen space, where all the food is prepared, and all the containers are hygienically cleaned and sanitised so they can be reused – just like any dinnerware you would find in a restaurant or cafe.”

Her meals are delivered in a cardboard esky made from compacted recycled materials, and the meal boxes come from a company called Replated in Sydney.

“They are made from ‘ocean-bound plastic’,” she explains. “That means the materials for the containers are sourced from plastics found within a 50-kilometre radius of the ocean and have been saved from being swept into the ocean.

“I also use jars for snacks and soups and repurpose water bottles to use as ice bricks. Labels are all made from recycled cardboard. Single-use plastic is not used in the packaging at all.”

Veronique’s weekly menus feature a choice of three meals, plus snacks such as fresh fruit, vegetables and energy balls. “Meals are in line with the seasons, cooking with what nature gives us seasonally,” she says. “In winter, I will be featuring soup. 

“I pride myself on working with local suppliers as much as possible and I make cheese, broth and tofu from scratch. I cater to all different dietary requirements including vegan, vegetarian, gluten free etc. Meals are prepared in small batches with care and love.”

“All meals are cooked and delivered the same day!” 

Orders open at 2pm on Sundays and close on Wednesdays at 5pm. Ready on the following Monday, meals can be collected from her home in Barrack Heights or from The Source Bulk Foods in Shell Cove. The Loop Kitchen delivers to postcodes 2527, 2528, 2529, 2502 and 2506, and offers free pick-up on containers upon request.

Visit the website, phone 0420 505 535 or follow on Facebook and Instagram.