(WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com) — Wegmans announced it has a new partnership with a New York-based paper straw company.

In a release sent out on Wednesday, Wegmans announced it has selected Rochester-based manufacturer Roc Paper Straws as its companywide supplier of paper straws for all its Market Cafés, restaurants and corporate worksites.

Roc Paper Straws, located in the City of Rochester, N.Y., was founded by Lux Lounge owner Karrie Laughton and her mother, Kathryn Laughton, in September 2022 and is one of only a handful of paper straw manufacturers in the United States and the only one in the Northeast. 

“While we were already working with a supplier out of Arizona, we knew we needed to explore the possibility of moving our business to Roc Paper Straws. It just made perfect sense – the opportunity to support a new, local manufacturer, reduce our carbon footprint and as we quickly learned, offer our customers a better product,” said Jason Wadsworth, Wegmans packaging, energy and sustainability category merchant.

Every part of the Roc Paper Straws’ product is food grade — from the paper and ink to the glue and oil used in the machines. This ensures the straws are safe to use and don’t pose any threats to the environment, including any animals or waterways they come into contact with.

The straws contain zero plastic and are compostable, so while they’re designed to hold up for use in several drinks, they’ll also break down through time.

To learn more about Wegmans’ sustainability efforts, click here. To learn more about Roc Paper Straws, visit their website.