Sustaining Your Success

Sustaining
Your Success
Newsletter vol. 3 December 2010
Red, White & Blue = Green
Fabri-Kal, a pioneer in innovative new product development and the eighth largest
thermoformer in North America, is proud to remind supporters that all Fabri-Kal
products, including their Greenware® brand, are made locally in the United States.
Through the Greenware® line of products, Fabri-Kal demonstrates a strong commitment to
their community as well as dedication to provide technologically and environmentally advanced packaging solutions.
Greenware® is a line of renewable cold drink cups, portion cups and lids that are made entirely from plants – not
petroleum. All Greenware® products are made from plant sources that are domestically-grown and annually renewable,
plus they are 100% compostable in actively managed municipal or industrial facilities, where available.
John Kittredge, Vice President of Marketing at Fabri-Kal thinks it’s important to acknowledge the contributions that
local companies bring to their communities: “Unlike some companies that claim to be ‘green’ yet import their products
and resources from overseas, we stand by our efforts to be on the forefront of sustainable product development as a
domestic manufacturer. Given today’s economic and environmental climate, the words ‘Made in the USA’ are more
powerful than ever. Consumer values continue to shift and for many, purchasing goods made domestically is a top
priority and goes hand in hand with efforts to live more sustainably.”
In addition to producing the Greenware® brand of products, Kalamazoo based Fabri-Kal is extremely committed to
clearing up misconceptions about what it means to be “green.” The organization has developed a “No Greenwashing
Pledge,” that vows to deliver the facts about Greenware® products and strives to correct any misinformation that may
be circulating about green packaging solutions.
To learn more about the benefits of Greenware® products and Fabri-Kal’s commitment to their community and the
environment, please visit their website: http://www.f-k.com/no-greenwashing-pledge.
Made in the United States
Buying products made in the United States
means reduced transportation impacts (from
shipping of inputs and finished products), and
cleaner, more energy-efficient production
relative to imported products from less
developed nations.1
Consumer Statistics
Operator
Perspectives
• 83% of recent study respondents said they would
buy “Made in America” products as their first choice
if given the option between goods made in the
United States and those made abroad.2
• 72% of Americans are paying heightened attention
to the country of origin of products they buy.3
• According to a recent
survey of Foodservice
Operators, “import risks and transport costs” were named a top challenge facing
foodservice operators in 2010.5
• A recent market research study found that 93% of
consumers say they want to be sustainable and that
many consumers are willing to pay a 10% premium
for sustainable products.4
• The number of buy-local networks has doubled since 2005, while supporting evidence shows that retailers
in these groups have felt less of an impact from the recession.6
Greenware® Success Stories
have a rough texture or a bad taste, whereas Greenware®
products look and feel like plastic. While we are an
education-based, conservation organization, we also pride
ourselves on using products that are high-quality and
beautiful, reflective of our gardens.
Harriet Resnick, Vice President of Visitor
Experience and Business Development at
the Chicago Botanic Garden, shares the
Garden’s Greenware® success story.
SYS: When did you start using Greenware® products
and why?
HR: We started using Greenware® at
the Chicago Botanic Garden in
June of 2008. We chose to use
Greenware® at the Chicago Botanic
Garden because there is an entire
movement happening toward the
use of compostable products. As a
conservation organization, our role
is to educate consumers and to show
them where the world is moving.
SYS: What reaction have you seen from consumers at
the garden regarding Greenware®?
HR: Consumers love the Greenware® products.
And they enjoy the education that comes along
with understanding the product as well. With
almost 900,000 visitors to the garden each year,
Greenware® certainly gets a lot of visibility.
SYS: Do you have plans to compost Greenware®
in the future?
HR: Yes, thanks to new laws in Illinois, it will be easier for
us to compost in 2011. We have plans to have a hauler pick
up our food scraps and our compostable products. Then,
we’d like to be able to use that high-quality compost back
here within our garden programs.
SYS: What attracted you to Greenware®?
HR: Greenware® is one of the more attractive compostable
cups available on the market. Other compostable products
1. Eco Pulse research study: http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2010/03/23/does-made-usa-green
2. Survey by FIND/SVP 3. Gallup Poll Survey
4. The Hartman Group: http://www.qsrmagazine.com/articles/exclusives/0808/sustainability-1.phtml?microsite=green
5. Foodservice Packaging Institute’s, Survey of Foodservice Operators: Results – 2010
6. http://www.retailpackaging.com/blog/2009/05/buy-local-movement-sweeping-america-2/
To see your customer’s success story in an
upcoming issue, email eewing@f-k.com.
Questions or comments? Please email eewing@f-k.com.
www.f-k.com/green
800-888-5054
© 12/10 Fabri-Kal Corp. All rights reserved.