2021 Impact Report

B Corp certification 

Being a Certified B Corp is at the core of all of our work. It holds us to a standard of operation that puts purpose and people before profit.

🦞As of our recertification date in October 2021, we became the highest scoring restaurant group and seafood company in America. 

🦞Our new score, 104.5, is a 30% increase from our last recertification in 2018 (80.1).

🦞We made the biggest growth in the Environment category of the recertification, specifically due to the management of carbon footprint, management of wastewater from our processing facility, and better formalization of our environmental sourcing standards.

Diversification

This year we promoted and sold eight new-to-Luke’s Gulf of Maine seafood species to support the diversification of Maine's fisheries. Diversification of species will help Maine’s seafood industry adapt and pivot through the unpredictable effects of climate change.

🦞We fulfilled 1,490 orders from our Online Market of our new Gulf of Maine species and sold 322 kelp lobster rolls for Earth Week in our shacks across the country.

🦞 We received media coverage for our hake, monkfish, and kelp products from outlets like New York Times and CNN.

🦞 Held an event and provided publicity support to an Indigenous-owned, Maine-based recirculating aquaculture brook trout farm, Mic Mac Farms.

Decarbonization

The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the world’s oceans, and we are working hand in hand with fishermen to do our part to slow that change, and the devastating global effects of climate change, by reducing the carbon footprint of our fishery.

🦞This year, in partnership with fellow B Corp Council Fire, we took on the massive project of measuring our greenhouse gas footprint from harvest to plate, analyzing reduction opportunities, and tackling Scope 2 emissions (emissions from purchased electricity) within our four walls.

🦞Beginning May 1, 2021 we used 100% Renewable Energy in all of our controlled properties, which accounted for 78% of our total energy usage in those properties and a reduction of over 1,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions for the year.

🦞We added Phase Change Material in our large warehouse freezers to reduce electric usage and peak load by charging cold packs during off peak hours and shutting off our compressors at peak times.

In 2022 we will...

🦞 Proactively measure and manage all contributing factors to our greenhouse gas emission total, which we identified in our carbon footprint assessment in 2021, and chart and publish our path to reduce and offset our emissions.

🦞 Develop a decarbonization opportunity guide for lobster wharves, outlining all the steps they can take to reduce their carbon footprint (think solar paneled roofs, energy efficient bait coolers, and lower emission alternative fuels); we will deliver this plan to all our partner wharves and provide follow-on support for their execution of decarbonization initiatives.  

🦞 Ship 100% of our Luke’s Online Market orders though UPS’s carbon neutral program, offsetting all our emissions from shipping, and buy 100% of electricity in our controlled properties from renewable sources for the entire year.

Waste Management

We salvaged and upcycled parts of the lobster that typically go to waste to make valuable food products, soil amendments, skincare products, and more.

🦞 Turned 278,378 lbs of lobster shell into fertilizer, extracted 316,029 lbs of body and leg meat for value-added lobster dishes, and salvaged 2,811 lbs of lobster hemolymph for skincare products. 

🦞Achieved a 5.5% increase in total weight of the lobster fully utilized, reducing the amount of waste sent to compost.

🦞Reduced our production facility’s water usage by 10,000 gallons per day by implementing better water management techniques.

In 2022 we will...

🦞 Install a state-of-the-art water filtration system at our seafood processing facility to remove suspended and dissolved wastes prior to sending water down the drain, easing pressure on our town’s wastewater facilities and greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment.

🦞  Implement a full line of compostable packaging and utensils in all of our shacks.

🦞 Integrate composting services for all our shacks and a full recycling program at our seafood processing facility.

Diversity and Inclusion

This year we were proud to formalize our internal Diversity + Inclusion department, mission, and training, prompting two veteran Luke’s Lobster teammates to lead our D+I department; and to expand our external community work to work towards that same mission in our communities.

🦞 Mandated D+I training for 100% of our managers, and offered free English as a Second Language micro learning program to our production team, many of whom are immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.

🦞 Supported BIPOC-owned businesses: worked with 3 Black-owned breweries and 3 indigenous-owned food suppliers and non-profits fighting food apartheid and opportunity barriers.

🦞 Donated >$20,000 to food access non-profits in food apartheid communities, and  >$7,000 to opportunity equity non-profits.

In 2022 we will...

🦞 Implement unconscious bias training for 100% of our teammates at every level.

🦞 Launch BIPOC student lobstering initiative with 5 participants to provide the resources, mentorship, and time on the water that students need to enter the commercial fishing industry, which are nearly impossible to get without a parent already in the industry.

🦞 Roll out a nationwide, limited-time-only special lobster roll with a female, BIPOC-owned partner company during the busiest six months of the year (stay tuned for more details!)