Restaurant Cuib

CUIB is a social venture that only offers organic and locally sourced foods, fair trade teas and coffees, and beverages with environmental certifications.
From the belief that another world is possible , the story of CUIB began with the founding of Mai bine , an organization that assumed the mission of contributing to sustainable local development in all its three dimensions – nature, society and economy.
CUIB shares the vision of the organization that gave birth to it – Better – that of a better world, ecologically sustainable, socially just and governed by sound ethical norms and principles.
At the same time, the operational and development activities we undertake follow the mission of the parent organization, to contribute to sustainable development and local resilience through a holistic approach, of all three pillars of development – ​​nature, society and economy, prioritized in this order.
With this vision and mission in mind and soul, we have undertaken the objective of developing a sustainable consumption space, unique in Romania, with multiple pioneering approaches. In our main areas of action – ecology and environmental protection, education for sustainable development, social economy and civic responsibility, responsible (or critical, or sustainable, or ethical) consumption has been the guiding thread, evoking the specific interdependence of the living world and the impact that choices daily consumption has on us, on others, on the environment and on the economy. We promote theoretically and practically this type of alternative, plurivalent consumption, considering it the most accessible behavioral approach through which any of us can equally implement the most popular slogan of political ecology – think globally,
In the midst of an emergency, we registered on the list of economic operators of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development who can recover food to combat or reduce food waste. We want to integrate reclaimed food into our menus, but we also want to generate as little organic waste as possible in our kitchen, waste that is currently not composted. In July 2020, we generated almost a quarter of a ton of non-recyclable waste, of which vegetable, organic residues represent the largest proportion.
By the end of 2024, CUIB will record almost zero organic waste and food waste and will be an example of a circular economy approach in the HORECA sector in Romania.
Sustainable waste management is one of the central components of our social and green business model, with the 3 R’s of ecology – reduce, reuse and recycle – governing our operational practices to a large extent. However, we still generate over half a ton of waste per month. More than 50% is recyclable waste, collected separately, but we know that just as there is no industry without waste, there is no recycling without costs.
Starting in spring 2021, CUIB will steadily reduce the amount of waste generated, approaching the target of 90% recyclable waste and only 10% non-recyclable, and halving the amount of waste generated by the end of 2024.
We are recognized for our determination and efforts to prepare tasty, healthy and environmentally friendly food from fresh, as natural as possible, local and seasonal ingredients. We currently estimate a percentage of 70-80% of the ingredients on the menu to be as local or regional as possible. Our vision is that in the long term, hopefully no later than 10 years, we will have our own garden and a new restaurant on the edge of it, so that the ingredients of the food we prepare go as directly as possible from the garden to the plate. Until then, we can reduce the carbon footprint of the food and drinks we consume as much as possible by making efforts to seek out the producers most aligned with our values,
Starting in the spring of 2021, we will adapt our menu so that over 90% of our drinks and ingredients are produced regionally and at least 50% within a radius of up to 100 km around Iași.