Perdue Farms Introduces Compostable Foam Packaging for Shipments

eCommerce packaging

(Photo: The Green Cell Foam insulation that Perdue Farms uses for e-commerce shipments is biodegradable and compostable. Credit: Green Cell Foam)

by | Jan 9, 2020

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Perdue Farms Introduces Compostable Foam Packaging for Shipments

(Photo: The Green Cell Foam insulation that Perdue Farms uses for e-commerce shipments is biodegradable and compostable. Credit: Green Cell Foam)

Perdue Farms says that the company has started using compostable eCommerce packaging made from 100% recyclable cardboard insulated with a biodegradable, water soluble, and backyard compostable foam made using high-grade non-GMO cornstarch.

The renewable Green Cell Foam product from Holt, Michigan-based KTM Industries, has been available since 2002. Manufacturing the foam requires 70% less energy and produces 80% fewer greenhouse gases than petroleum-based foams, according to the company.

David Zucker, Perdue Farms’ senior vice president of e-commerce and new ventures, told CNN Business this week that the company already uses some recyclable packaging on its products, but their conventional meat for grocery stores still comes on the familiar foam trays wrapped in plastic. The challenge is that not all locations recycle that foam, but Perdue still intends to make all of its packaging recyclable.

“We are working with our [packaging] vendors to help bring down the cost of the recyclable material so we can achieve that,” Zucker said.

Rethinking packaging is part of Perdue’s broader effort established in 2018 to reduce their greenhouse gas intensity by 4.8% toward the 2022 goal of a 30% reduction of scope 1 and 2 carbon equivalent emissions.

Perdue’s e-commerce site, which launched this month, has begun selling frozen items from brands including Niman Ranch, Coleman Natural, and Sonoma Red. For every order shipped, the company says it will include a pollinator seed packet and reusable shopping tote in the box and donate to the Arbor Day Foundation. Those donations should help remove more than 70 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere per order, according to the family-owned company.

Good news: The deadline for the 2020 Environment + Energy Leader Awards has been extended to January 20! Get details about submitting your entry here.

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