• by Teresa Buyikian , September 22, 2023

This week Zero Acre Farms, which produces environmentally friendly cooking oil, announced a pilot program with Shake Shack. Two of the chain’s locations in New York City  -- Hudson Yards and Battery Park City Shacks -- will fry exclusively with Zero Acre oil instead of soybean oil.

Zero Acre oil has a high smoke point and is also elevated in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, which is more stable for frying than the polyunsaturated fats found in most vegetable oils, which now account for approximately 20% of American’s caloric intake, according to the company.

The Shake Shack and Zero Oil announcement came during Climate Week NYC, the largest annual climate event in the United States. The Zero Acres pilot program is part of Shake Shack’s Stand for Something Good initiative, which focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion, workplace benefits and compensation, supply chain, sustainability and governance. The chain publishes an annual summary of its efforts.

“We’re continually exploring new ways to reduce our environmental footprint, including partnerships with companies like Zero Acre who are creating sustainable food solutions," Jeffrey Amoscato, senior vice president of supply chain and menu innovation at Shake Shack, told Marketing Daily. “We remain committed to exploring initiatives … including the reduction of waste across operations and collaborating with farmers and suppliers on a regular basis.”

Amoscato commented that the chain will consider implementing Zero Acres at future locations upon the outcome of the pilot tests at the New York locations.

Shake Shack menu items that will utilize Zero Acre oil include Crinkle Cut Fries, ‘Shroom Burger, Shack Stack, Veggie Shack, Chicken Shack, Chicken Bites and LTO Hot Menu items.