Nature’s Path Foods ‘Change for Good’ sustainability (social impact) award copywriting, IFS. Each year, IFS ‘Change for Good’ Sustainability Awards recognize ESG excellence across its global community of customers. Following an interview with key stakeholders, I created this profile for Social Impact category winner Nature’s Path Foods.
- COPY: Ian Castle, Freelance Copywriter
- CLIENT: IFS
Sustainability case study copy sample, Manufacturing sector, IFS (US English)
[Excerpt]:
With a founding commitment to organic food and farming, Nature’s Path Foods is a family run, independent, sustainably driven company producing over 150 nutritious organic breakfast and snack foods. “Our vision is to always leave the earth better than we found it,” explains Samantha Falk, Communications Director, “so we genuinely hold ourselves accountable to doing what’s best for people and the planet.”
Reuse, recycle, compost
Nature’s Path is deeply committed to sustainability. The company was the first North American food producer to achieve zero-waste certification at all its manufacturing facilities. As part of a raft of successful initiatives (more
later) spanning several years, the company’s latest goal is to make all its packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. In May 2021, Nature’s Path began a partnership as an early adopter with Loop - a global reusable packaging program.
[Excerpt]:
Zero waste packaging model
Loop is a coalition of global brands rethinking and reworking its manufacturing and packaging to offer goods in reusable containers throughout 10 states in the Mid- Atlantic US and across Canada. Through a circular, zero-waste model, empty containers are collected from the consumer and refilled by the manufacturer. These containers are refilled at least 100 times and then recycled into something new at the end of their life. As Loop’s first organic food member, Nature’s Path is launching its first granola packaged in a reusable container.
Matt Livingston, Sustainability Stewardship Specialist takes up the story: “Even before Loop, we were achieving 97% reuse, recycling or compostability of our packaging by weight. We don’t have a crystal ball, but we know that
going forward reuse offers the most sustainable packing solution. That’s not to ignore recyclability and compostability – all three approaches are equally important – but Loop lets us take our reuse agenda forward now.
“Through from lifecycle assessments by Loop we know that we need to reuse our containers 3-4 times to start providing an environmental net benefit,” he says. Nature’s Path estimates that one reusable jar of its Loop granola will save more than 4 kilos (9 pounds) of waste generated from 100 boxes of granola.
Livingston is under no illusions about the complexity of reusable packaging and the mechanism and infrastructure required to deliver it successfully. “This is definitely not for the faint-hearted. It’s super-challenging. But one thing about the family owners, and the company, is that just because something is difficult or expensive, that’s no reason not to try. Especially if it can Especially if it can make a positive impact on the planet.”