At Blaze Pizza, making intelligent choices for people, pizza and the planet has always been at the forefront of decision-making. Since its inception, the fast-casual concept has constructed its restaurants with recycled and sustainable materials, used eco-friendly packaging and featured energy-efficient LED lighting. This Earth Day, the company is changing the game again, with a trio of initiatives that showcase its commitment to this mantra.

• Furthering the brand’s fast casual and pizza category leadership, Blaze Pizza is going strawless at its 300+ locations. To do so, the industry leader will be rolling out new domed lids to top their selection of fountain beverages, including the Signature Blood Orange Lemonade, seasonal agua fresca drinks, and Blue Sky soda, made with cane sugar. In-restaurant materials announcing ‘straws suck’ will communicate the change to guests.  All restaurants are expected to be strawless by summer, making Blaze Pizza the first national pizza chain to go strawless system-wide. 
   
• With a plant-based and planet-friendly mindset, Blaze is introducing a new topping – Spicy Chorizo (vegan). Guests can now heat things up by adding this plant-based protein to any pizza. Crafted by Blaze Pizza’s Executive Chef, Bradford Kent, the craveable offering features a unique blend of spices, available at no extra charge. Pro tip: guests can make any pizza vegan by selecting the original dough and adding vegan sauce, protein, and cheese.
   
• With founding Blaze Pizza investor LeBron James having close ties to the city of Cleveland, it feels appropriate that the company has partnered with Cleveland-based Green City Growers to source the hydroponic basil used in Blaze Pizza’s pesto. Basil from Green City Growers is pesticide-free and utilizes significantly less water than traditional farming. Employee-owned Green City Growers is one of the largest urban farms in the United States, encompassing more than a football field’s length of space for growing basil. Guests can try it on the Signature Green Stripe Pizza or add it to their unique creation.

“We consistently strive to keep intelligent choices top of mind, whether offering a new plant-based protein at no extra charge, or deciding to offer strawless lids to support larger, globally-relevant issues,” said president and CEO, Jim Mizes. “While we recognize these initiatives are launching around Earth Day, being a category leader in eco-friendliness is something we’re fire'd up about year-round.”

Note: Spicy Chorizo (vegan) and Garlic Pesto made with hydroponic basil are available at U.S. locations only.