You Can Promote Snack Meals in Sustainable Packaging — However You Might Have to Tweak Your Income Mannequin

Solar & Swell Meals’ Kate Flynn knew her four-year-old firm’s packaging was hurting the atmosphere. Encasing the corporate’s Apple Pie, Fudge Brownie, and Oatmeal Cacao Chip power bites in customary plastic wrappers and pouches all the time felt off for the Santa Barbara, California-based natural and ingredient-conscious snack meals maker. However single-use packaging was one thing of a essential evil, Flynn thought. It was not simply commonplace out there, the packaging itself helped lengthen the shelf lifetime of the perishables inside.

“I grew to become actually delicate to the truth that I used to be additionally contributing to the single-use plastics downside,” says Flynn, who’s 37 years outdated. “And I used to be pondering if we ever reached this dimension of firm that I need us to be, we’ve to have the ability to promote our merchandise in one thing apart from plastic.”

The pandemic proved to be the gasoline she wanted to ignite the change she’d longed for. Although Flynn says she started transitioning to compostable packaging in 2019, the pandemic led her to rethink her firm’s environmental influence and broaden her efforts. She labored first on prioritizing her firm’s mission after which got here up with a technique that mirrored it.

As an alternative of conventional wrapping typically comprised of plastic or different non-compostable and dangerous supplies, she’d use compostable merchandise for all her packaging. She embraced the significance of her merchandise’ life cycle: from manufacturing, to client use, to disposal. And as a substitute of solely specializing in her firm’s income and profitability, she educated her consideration on her model’s influence on the planet. 

The corporate’s compostable packaging is comprised of vegetation and is designed to return to the earth safely — and it is solely barely dearer than conventional plastic wrappers. Flynn says Solar & Swell builds the prices into its merchandise.

The highway to sustainability was something however sunny, nonetheless. Whereas the corporate had begun distributing merchandise utilizing compostable packaging, shelf-life considerations started to crop up. 

Meals lasts longer in plastic packaging, and grocery chains cannot hold the product on the cabinets as lengthy if the product is not wrapped in plastic. This meant grocers have been much less inclined to hold Solar & Swell’s merchandise, given the shorter gross sales window. 

Flynn had a giant resolution to make. “We reached this second of like: OK, will we need to decide to staying plastic-free, and due to this fact alter our enterprise mannequin to essentially accommodate plastic repackaging and maximize the influence we are able to do, and shifting the grocery business away from plastic? Or will we need to, you recognize, construct extra of a conventional CPG model targeted on promoting our merchandise by means of conventional grocery channels and return to, like, the common plastic packaging?”

Flynn sided with the earth.

Solar & Swell started increasing its product line to supply extra natural and sustainable merchandise on to customers. The pandemic-driven DTC boomed labored in Solar & Swell’s favor and expedited her firm’s transition, says Flynn.

Whereas all of Solar & Swell’s merchandise now use compostable packaging, Flynn notes the stat is extraordinary within the meals business. Even the plastic wrappers on the surface of a bottle are an issue, as they’re hardly ever compostable, says Flynn. 

If extra corporations began utilizing compostable packaging, Flynn posits, it could carry all boats. “It principally permits us to create a extra round meals system the place we’re not leaving trash behind.” 

For these concerned with becoming a member of the revolution, Flynn has some recommendation for getting began.

Do not watch for the federal government to let you know when it is time to act, says Flynn, referring to current laws in states like  New Jersey and Maine designed to curb air pollution. Ready could make the entire course of sting extra, she says, noting that for big companies — and smaller ones too — modifications in provide, manufacturing, and packing contain many facets that may’t be corrected in a single day and can take time. So prep for the lengthy sport. “I feel you need to be pondering proactively about switching to extra sustainable options.” 

Flynn says taking environmental initiatives severely can also be essential for staying aggressive in a market that is pushed, more and more, by extra acutely aware customers. “In case you have a look at Gen-Z, who in the end goes to have the shopping for energy … they care a lot extra deeply in regards to the broader influence of the merchandise that we’re shopping for. It is not simply doing one thing as a result of you need to, it is enthusiastic about the long run — like how is your model or firm going to remain related to customers?” 

“A small step from a giant firm makes a serious influence,” however even smaller corporations can take child steps that add up, says Flynn. One simple method to begin is just starting to contemplate promoting merchandise in additional sustainable packaging. 

You may also start making modifications one model at a time. Flynn says Pepsi, which owns the model Off the Eaten Path, has launched a few merchandise in sustainable packaging. “, it is not the complete model, it is not all of Pepsi, nevertheless it’s a few merchandise inside one in all Pepsi’s product traces. And I believed that was superior to see that Pepsi is taking some steps, seeing the way it works, and studying from it.”