Food Processing - September 2007 - (Page 55)

A new generation of materials makes it difficult not to go green. By Kate Bertrand Connolly, Packaging Editor ruiz foods inc. (www.elmonterey.com), Dinuba, calif., has been a Wal-mart supplier for more than 10 years, supplying items such as El monterey brand 10-pack burritos and chicken and shredded beef taquitos. “it is extremely logical for Walmart, with locations worldwide, to integrate this initiative into its business plan and work to drive positive change,” says Bryce ruiz, president and chief operating officer. “We believe reducing our environmental impact is the right thing to do and believe we can accomplish this by improving our products, processes and packaging, as well as through our commitment to the community,” he continues. ruiz foods worked with the packaging scorecard and, based on the results, believes its packaging ranks in the top one-third of Wal-mart’s package sustainability scale. packaging made from polylactic acid (pLA), which itself is made from corn starch, is a high-clarity material that can be formed into bottles, films, labels and thermoformed trays. EnvironmEntal consciousnEss is influEncing how food processors do business, and nowhere is the effect more noticeable than in packaging. suppliers’ r&D labs are working overtime to create earthfriendly packaging materials from sustainable resources. in addition, new services and tools are taking the mystery out of designing “green” packages. retailer initiatives both in the u.s. and abroad are important drivers for the greening of packaging. Domestically, Walmart stores inc. (www.walmartfacts.com), Bentonville, ark., last fall unveiled a Packaging scorecard that evaluates packaging on dimensions such as recycled content, cube utilization, transportation and the volume of greenhouse gas emissions produced in manufacturing. for the nov. 28, 2006, story on wal-mart’s packaging scorecard, see www.foodprocessing.com/industrynews/2006/150.html. pHoTo: nATUreworKs the company’s suppliers can use the scorecard to consider what-if scenarios for their own packaging and to evaluate their packaging-sustainability status relative to competitors. those with the most sustainable packaging will be well positioned to win Wal-mart’s business; starting in 2008, packaging sustainability will play a key role in the retail giant’s buying decisions. Wal-mart’s purchasing power is the locomotive for change on the supply side. the retailer currently buys from 60,000 suppliers worldwide, and none will be exempt from filling out the scorecard. www.foodprocessing.com sepTemBer 2007 food processing • 55 http://www.elmonterey.com http://www.walmartfacts.com http://www.foodprocessing.com/industrynews/2006/150.html http://www.foodprocessing.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Food Processing - September 2007

Contents Editor's Plate Power Lunch NewsBites Regulatory Issues Rollout Food Biz Kids Product Spotlight Next-Generation Manufacturing Models Product Development Ingredients Packaging Show Previews New Product Profiles Toops Scoops

Food Processing - September 2007

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