The initiative will reduce the environmental impacts of food and beverage packaging

Boulder County, CO –Five local food and beverage companies have been selected to participate in the Boulder County Food and Beverage Pollution Reduction Packaging Pilot Project: Future Fit Foods, Hävenly, Pastificio Boulder, Quinn Snacks and The Tea Spot.

Boulder County has invited food and beverage manufacturers to apply to participate in an EPA-backed pilot program to help transition to sustainable, low-pollution packaging formats. To be eligible for the pilot program, companies had to be food or beverage manufacturers with a head office or business location in Boulder County.

Boulder County received 30 eligible claims with a total claim of $ 358,000 for the packaging redesign. The county will award $ 40,000 in incentives to the five accepted teams to help them transition to low-pollution packaging formats. If teams are successful in making their transitions, they have the potential to reduce the pollution impacts of 2.1 million units of product manufactured each year.

“Teams have challenges, sustainability goals, and unique products,” said Deandra Croissant, Boulder County sustainability specialist. “This is a diverse pilot project that will help us better understand the costs and environmental performance of various types of pollution-reduced packaging. We look forward to seeing what is possible when it comes to circular design and improving the environmental performance of food and beverage packaging.

“We need to reuse and reduce packaging upstream, and not later when it is in the waste stream,” said Commissioner Matt Jones. “I am proud that these Boulder County businesses are partnering with us to help solve this problem, internalize costs and take climate action.

The pilot program is funded by the EPA’s Source Reduction Assistance Grant program. Each pilot team will receive 20-30 hours of technical assistance from Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) consultants, in addition to participating in a collaborative workshop.

Selected companies and projects:

Foods in the shape of the future | $ 10,000: Implementation of a pilot project to replace single-use corrugated cardboard shipping boxes – used for SUPPAS mail order orders – by Repackage reusable envelopes to reduce CO₂ up to 85% of emissions; identifying a compostable industrial ink that will help their printing partners achieve printed product level certification for ReEarth pouches; the implementation of packaging trials to test new edible and home compostable packaging currently at the prototype stage.

“The Boulder County Food and Beverage Pollution Reduction Packaging Pilot Program provides the technical and financial support Future Fit Foods needed to take our circular packaging commitments to the next level,” said Paloma Lopez, co-founder and CEO of Future Fit Foods. “We are delighted that our herbal SUPPAS line can be the driver of the shift towards circular food packaging solutions. “

Sean Ansett and Paloma Lopez, co-founders of Future Fit Foods

Hävenly | $ 5,000: Looking for eco-friendly packaging for their baked goods and home bake bread mixes. In particular, Hävenly will assess options that meet the display and protection requirements of their baked goods while taking into account environmental impacts. Areas of interest include cellulose bags, compostable reclosable kraft tin bags, and environmentally friendly yeast packaging alternatives.

“As a small bakery based in Boulder, we are delighted to be part of the pilot study,” said Katarina Schare, founder of Hävenly. “It provides much-needed support in evaluating sustainable packaging options for Hävenly’s bakery products and bread mixes, and it connects us with other food manufacturers who share our zero waste mission. We hope to be a pioneer in plastic-free packaging for bakeries. “

Katarina Schare, founder of Hävenly

Pastificio boulder | $ 5,000: Looking for a complete naturally biodegradable and recyclable solution for their cardboard packaging needs that are environmentally friendly in all respects, including not using bleached paper products or toxic adhesive glues.

“The food manufacturing world is in desperate need of a more sustainable awareness built into every action it takes,” said Pastificio Boulder co-founder Ted Steen. “We were very excited to learn more about the Boulder County Food and Beverage Pollution Reduction Packaging Pilot Initiative and look forward to hearing more about our packaging options, which are the more durable and why! “

Co-founders of Pastificio Ted Steen and Claudia Bouvier

Quinn Snacks | $ 10,000: Explore recyclable or compostable packaging options for their microwave popcorn product line.

“Since 2010, Quinn has been on a mission to be and do better for our families, communities and future generations,” said Kristy Lewis, Founder and CEO of Quinn Snacks. “As a small brand, sustainable packaging options have been a constant challenge for us, as well as for our industry as a whole. We are thrilled with this opportunity to partner with our community with Boulder County to push our food products and packaging in the right direction. “

Kristy Lewis, Founder and CEO of Quinn Snacks

The tea stain | $ 10,000: Searching for alternatives for their upright teabags and other tea packaging materials.

“At The Tea Spot, we are delighted to have been selected to participate in the Boulder County Low Pollution Packaging Pilot Program,” said Maria Uspenski, Founder and CEO of The Tea Spot. “We look forward to educating ourselves and our consumers about the importance and need for sustainable packaging. Through this pilot program, we look forward to sourcing sustainable packaging for all of our tasty tea products. “

Tea Spot Founder and CEO Maria Uspenski

For more information on this program, contact Christian Herrmann at [email protected].

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