2019 Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Award, Second Place Project Category: Smithfield Packaged Meats

By replacing high-energy-use HIDs with LED lighting, the meat processor’s Kinston, NC, facility drives down its total kWh usage.

Oct 1st, 2020

PepsiCo Provides Update on Green Bond

The company reveals $447 million has been allocated thus far to support its vision of building a more sustainable food system.

New sustainable packaging initiative from Clover Sonoma.

New Sustainable Milk Carton

Clover Sonoma, a third-generation family-owned and operated dairy based in Petaluma, Calif., is transitioning its half-gallon organic milk to a fully renewable plant-based paperboard milk carton.

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Reusable and refillable packaging innovations 2020

ThePackHub U.K. offers a compendium of sustainable packaging ideas for the growing reusable and refillable market.

US Foods Releases Social Responsibility Report

The report reveals progress in protecting the environment and providing responsibly sourced and sustainable products.

Conagra Continues Progress in Meeting Sustainability Goals

Conagra is expanding the use of bowls made from plant-based fibers through collaborative partnerships, significantly reducing the company’s carbon footprint.

Anheuser-Busch InBev, one of the largest brewers in the world, will use KeelClip in its U.K. market this spring for some of its brands, including Bud Light. Photo courtesy of Graphic Packaging International.

An Eco-Friendly Alternative to Six-Pack Plastic Rings

KeelClip’s paperboard technology delivers sustainability, branding, and functionality benefits that may convince brands to ditch single-use plastic can carriers for good.

Swiss Miss Cocoa’s new light blue easy-grip container features recyclable plastic with a wraparound in-mold label and space-efficient tapered cube design.

Swiss Miss Transitions to Recyclable Cube Packaging

The hot cocoa brand expects to reduce its carbon footprint 15% thanks to the new packaging’s space-efficient design and reduction in packaging materials.

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Reusable Packaging for Food and Beverage: 6 Innovation Trends to Watch

Reusable packaging has long been integral to the food and beverage sector – and will continue to be as the latter industry makes its way to a digitized, automated, and more sustainable future.

Dole Moving Closer to Carbon Neutral Promise

The company is partnering with Symbior Solar to expand renewable energy sourcing to its processing facilities in the Philippines.

General Mills Commits to Reducing Absolute Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The company also has signed on to a global movement of leading companies aligning their businesses with the Paris Agreement.

Winning Paths to Environmental Savings

Smithfield Foods, McCormick & Company, Conagra Brands, and Hiland Dairy go above and beyond to save energy, water, solid waste, ingredients, and food products by scrutinizing their operations and taking advantage of state and utility grants.

PepsiCo Aims for 100% Renewable Electricity Globally

The company has joined the RE100 initiative, setting new goals for direct operations, its entire franchise, and third-party operations.

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Cargill Supporting Regenerative Agriculture Practices

The initiative, involving 10 million acres of North American farmland, will aid in the progress of the company’s climate commitment and water goals.

Conagra Brands’ Milwaukee plant team members Nick Thompson, Xiomaris Mendez, and Jake Rozenberg proudly display Chicken Melts products that are now more sustainably produced. Photo courtesy of Conagra Brands.

Conagra Brands Team Rectifies Cheese Loss

A thorough investigation uncovered that a large contributor to food waste was cheese miss-cuts. The team solved the issue through editing standards, optimizing run settings, and conducting machinery preventative maintenance.

Tyson Foods to Verify Sustainable Cattle Production Practices at Scale

The company will work with cattle ranchers in the largest beef transparency program in the U.S.

Smithfield Foods Pledges to Become Carbon Negative

The announcement builds on Smithfield’s previous goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2025 across its entire supply chain.

Sudpack Recycling

Advances in Chemical Recycling Cut Plastic Waste

With growing pressure from regulatory and consumer sectors, Südpack is increasingly focused on chemical recycling of plastic waste and developing high-tech packaging films from the recovered raw materials.

Diageo Celebrates 2020 Sustainability and Responsibility Accomplishments

Goals originally set in 2008 and refreshed in 2015 were among the most ambitious in the industry.

Cargill Sets Water Restoration Target

Company also aims to reduce pollutants, improve access to safe drinking water, and implement water stewardship program at facilities.

McCain Foods Commits to More Sustainable Potato Farming

Company is seeking ways to overcome challenges, such as changing weather patterns and deteriorating soil quality.

More in Sustainability

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McLean Packaging Commits to Completely Renewable Energy

The company has contracted with national energy advisory firm 5 and ENGIE Resources, LLC on a five-year energy agreement that supports the development of renewables.

Maple Leaf Foods Becomes First Carbon Neutral Major Food Company

Company releases its 2019 Sustainability Report, outlining key programs and achievements, as well as future initiatives and priorities to become the world’s most sustainable protein company.

Danone Wexford, Ireland Plant

Danone Facility Is World’s First Carbon Neutral Baby Formula Plant

Milestone is viewed as a major step toward achieving Danone’s goal of zero net carbon emissions companywide by 2050.

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Recycling Takes Another Hit During Pandemic, Part II

The Coronavirus pandemic is creating a growing waste crisis even as we see images of the earth’s environment clearing from less pollution. A few months into the crisis, and the numbers are staggering.

Diageo New Plant

Diageo Building Its First Carbon Neutral Distillery

The facility under construction in Kentucky will be powered by 100% renewable electricity, reinforcing Diageo’s global commitment to reducing its carbon emissions and addressing climate change.

Conagra Recognizes Winners of Sustainable Development Awards

Awards were given to employee teams for sustainable brands, waste reduction and recycling, water conservation and wastewater management, climate change and energy-efficiency, and sustainable operations initiatives.

Organic Valley Farms Implement Streambank and Spring Area Restoration Projects

Two Sonoma County farmers restore waterways on their farms with the help of local students, teachers, and volunteers.

Smithfield's Kinston facility upgraded the lighting in its ammonia engine room to meet new International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration standards. New LEDs provide more foot candles and safety. Photo courtesy of Smithfield.

Smithfield Foods Lights the Way to Sustainability

By replacing high-energy-use HIDs with LED lighting, the meat processor’s Kinston, N.C. facility drives down its total kWh usage and receives a Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Award from ProFood World.

PepsiCo Issues 2019 Sustainability Report

Document highlights company’s progress in helping to build a more sustainable food system.

Site Solar Panels

Tetra Pak Commits to Net Zero Emissions

Tetra Pak announced its commitment to reach net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in its own operations by 2030, with the ambition to achieve net zero GHG emissions for the entire value chain by 2050.

New Recycling Process Uses Enzymes to Break Down Plastics by 70%

The Enzplast2 project from Spain’s AIMPLAS focuses on the use of enzymes in the plastics sector to develop more sustainable processes, including separating multilayer packaging and improving biodegradation.

Perdue Farms Pollinator Habitat

Perdue Farms Creates Pollinator-Friendly Habitat

Ground cover at solar installation will include plants that are beneficial to the pollinators of food crops.