2Sustain

Slowly, but surely, sustainable packaging is becoming more and more mainstream. In fact, within the last few weeks, two major food brands –Fisher, owned by John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc., and Frito-Lay, the convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo — launched green packaging initiatives for some of their most popular products. Both companies announced commitments to green packaging as part of comprehensive strategies to create sustainable supply chains, and both are reaching out to consumers with general education and PR campaigns to promote their packaging improvements.

The Fisher line of two-pound food service snack and baking products will now be packaged in bags made using plant-based renewable resources, instead of oil. According to a press release, this new packaging does not contain the traditional metallic mylar film, and yet maintains product quality and freshness.

John Garoni, Director of Food Service Sales with John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc., says this green packaging initiative is just a first step in the company’s overall sustainability plan.

 “While switching packaging for our Fisher products that are currently sold in a metallic mylar bag to the Earth-Friendly packaging is a start, this has to be accompanied by a general education of customers and consumers as to why we are proceeding this way,” Garoni explains. “We know that consumers who are going out to restaurants that we supply product to are more aware of social, economic and while are learning about how they can help protect the earth.”

 In related news, Frito-Lay is also rolling out environmentally-friendly packaging for its SunChips snack. The company’s goal is to have a fully compostable bag on supermarket shelves by Earth Day 2010. So far, only the outer layer of the bag is made of plant-based polylactic acid (PLA). But, according to an article in USA Today, researchers are working to develop a bag that is eco-friendly through and through, from the outer layer through to the inner layer that keeps the chips crisp.

 “Packaging is clearly the most visible interaction consumers have with Frito-Lay’s brands,” says Jay Gehring, vice president, packaging R&D, Frito-Lay North America.  “To make packaging that would interact differently in the environment we had to change the composition of packaging and invent key technologies. Using plant-based renewable materials, we have a promising solution that will transform packaging and significantly impact the billions of snack food bags produced annually.”

 There’s no doubt that Frito-Lay also understands the value of consumer education with regard to green initiatives like this one. As part of its PR campaign, the company even released a YouTube video that shows how the bag will compost.  Apparently, people are interested. As of today, the video of a snack bag decomposing has nearly 180,000 views. Why not check it out for yourself?  It’s only 45 seconds, and it’s nicely done.