Hissho Sushi Launches New Sushi Bar Featuring Biodegradable Packaging

Earlier this week, Hissho Sushi, one of the world’s largest retail sushi vendors with over 400 sushi bars in supermarkets across the U.S., launched a new location close their North Carolina headquarters. This particular Hissho bar is one of three to convert to Be Green’s tree free, compostable and recyclable packaging.

Phillip Maung founded Hissho Sushi in 1998.  He came to America in 1989 with just $13 dollars in his pocket and a vision to revolutionize how Americans consumed sushi.  With the help of his wife, he was able to finance the first Hissho Sushi bar. Today, Philip and Kristina have built a Sushi empire dedicated to providing their customers with the highest quality sushi available.

Hissho Sushi’s bar in NC. The packaging provided
by Be Green is compostable and recyclable.

Hissho Sushi made the decision to switch to Be Green packaging because they care about the planet and creating healthy communities.  Be Green’s sushi trays (shown above) are comprised of a compostable and recyclable plant fiber base and a 100% recyclable lid.  Using Be Green’s packaging is just another way that Hissho Sushi demonstrates that they are an innovative, forward-thinking company providing the highest quality products to customers in a truly sustainable manner.

– By Brandon Sugarman

Puma Embraces Sustainable Packaging With Their Clever Little Bag Concept

One by one, some of the biggest companies in the world are embracing the sustainable packaging revolution.  Packaging waste is one of the largest contributors to landfills in the world.  When huge companies such as Gillette, Whole Foods and now Puma switch to a sustainable packaging solution such as Be Green Packaging’s plant fiber containers, or in Puma’s case, a reusable bag combined with packaging material reduction, it makes a major difference.  To find out just how big of a difference it made for Puma, check out the awesome video they put together below.

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Report: Packaging Consumers Keen to Go Green (Packaging Digest)

By Jenni Spinner, Senior Editor — Packaging Digest, 3/13/2012 12:38:45 PM

In the most recent research conducted by Perception Research Services, shoppers demonstrate that they are interested in choosing environmentally-friendly packaging. Significantly more shoppers state they would like to choose environmentally friendly packaging compared to 2010 (36% vs 28%), with fully half still willing to pay more (despite the economy). This is especially true of younger (under 40) shoppers. Over half (59%) of our sample state that seeing environmental claims on packaging positively impacts their behavior (to either buy more of the brands they usually do, or switch to others).

Read the full article here: http://www.packagingdigest.com/article/521183-Report_Packaging_consumers_keen_to_go_green.php

Be Green Partners With The Santa Barbara International Film Festival in Support of the Arts

The Santa Barbara Film Festival is increasingly becoming a major stop on the worldwide film festival circuit.  Every year the event expands in scope and attracts some of the planets finest talent to the so-called ‘American Riveria’, which is converted for a 10-day period into a star-studded frenzy– complete with top-name actors, actresses, directors, and film enthusiasts.  For those living in Santa Barbara, the film festival has become the wintertime answer to the city’s infamous Summer Solstice parade.

As longstanding community partners with the SBIFF, Be Green donates its compostable and recyclable foodservice containers for use throughout the festival at various events and parties.  In addition to helping to raise awareness about alternatives to traditional plastic packaging, Be Green also sees the opportunity as a way to give back to the local community.  “It’s truly a win-win situation.” commented Justin Faerman, Director of Media and Marketing at Be Green. “Our annual contribution to the film festival not only helps to support a local organization, but also exposes a group of influential people to sustainable packaging.  Events like these help spread the word that there are legitimate alternatives to styrofoam and plastic packaging and as the trend catches on, it will eventually help to shift our society towards packaging solutions that have a significant, positive impact on the health of our planet.”

To learn more about the film festival visit their website here: Santa Barbara International Film Festival

P&G Reduces Plastic in Packaging Redesign

[Originally Published by PlasticsNews.com]

P&G Reduces Plastic in Packaging Redesign

http://www.plasticsnews.com/headlines2.html?id=24399

By Brandi Shaffer | PLASTICS NEWS STAFF

Posted February 2, 2012

Procter & Gamble Co. gave Gillette Fusion ProGlide’s packaging a “future friendly” facelift by reducing plastic and incorporating moldable pulp.

With 57 percent less plastic than the original clamshell outer packaging and razor tray, the redesign is made of fibrous materials such as bamboo, sugar cane and bulrush. The mixture is made into a liquid slurry and then molded into place, a technique the company said is “stretching the boundaries of what moldable pulp can do.”

The remainder of the article can be read here:  http://www.plasticsnews.com/headlines2.html?id=24399

Be Green Packaging’s 2011 Sustainability Report: Corporate Social Responsibility

Earlier this year Be Green Packaging released its 2011 Sustainability Report, which provides an in-depth look at the company’s progress towards long range social, environmental, and economic goals.  The report is a key component of Be Green’s commitment to the triple bottom line philosophy, which is a progressive method of internal accounting that places environmental and social stewardship on par with profitability.

A core tenet of the triple bottom line philosophy is a commitment to transparency throughout the scope of a company’s operations.  This article is intended to reflect Be Green’s adherence to this principle by providing insight into the company’s main corporate social responsibility efforts and their relation to the larger paradigm of Be Green’s sustainability targets.

At the heart of any corporate social responsibility (CSR) effort is the fair and ethical treatment of workers.  During the 2010-2011 fiscal year, Be Green began working closely with the independent organization Intertek to systematically review and certify its manufacturing operations pass internationally recognized fair labor standards (among other things).  Additionally, as part of Be Green’s Cradle to Cradle^CM certification, a thorough review of working conditions and labor practices at all of the company’s offices and facilities was undertaken and passed when the company originally received the certification in 2008.  The Intertek audit is the latest in a series of ongoing self-review measures.

An additional aspect of Be Green’s multifaceted approach to CSR is the ongoing contributions the company makes to various charitable organizations such as the Whole Planet Foundation and the Organic Center, among others.  Be Green has actively worked with the Whole Planet Foundation since 2009 when the company became the founding member of the Ten Thousand Dollar Fund.  The Whole Planet Foundation runs a worldwide microcredit lending program that seeks to end poverty in communities that supply Whole Foods Market with products.  According to the foundation, “…$10,000 can change the lives of 50 impoverished families for generations.”

On a local scale, Be Green works with non-profit organizations such as the Organic Soup Kitchen of Santa Barbara, which provides healthy, nourishing food to the homeless throughout the year, and the Jasper Community Fund, which supports various local humanitarian projects in Jasper county, South Carolina (the site of Be Green’s newest manufacturing plant).  Since being welcomed to the state earlier in the year by Governor Nikki Haley, Be Green has made a concerted effort to integrate itself into the community by hiring from local cities and counties and working with various charitable and educational organizations in the area.  The company is planning to source raw materials from local farmers in the surrounding communities as manufacturing operations begin later this year.

Be Green’s complete line of foodservice products is fully compostable, which presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities for the company.  Although composting has been around for thousands of years, outside of agriculture and its related industries, little is known about it.  Furthermore, with the recent advent of biodegradable PLA products, the regulatory landscape is changing rapidly.  It can be confusing and intimidating to those who are new to the concept of composting and studies have shown this simply leads to frustration and incorrect sorting practices (of trash, food scraps, and recyclable waste), which negates the whole idea in the first place.  To this end, Be Green has undertaken substantial efforts to educate clients and end users on a range of subjects relating to proper disposal of their products.  For instance, Be Green works closely with Whole Foods Market to help ensure proper composting on both a store and company wide level.  Be Green also makes composting guides and information freely available on their website and as part of their new customer packets, the intention being to affect change at all levels of the ‘composting pyramid’.  Download the compost toolkit here.

Communication, both internally and externally, of company environmental and social sustainability policies and efforts is critical to any well-rounded, successful CSR effort.  To this end, Be Green ensures all staff are thoroughly trained on and informed of all company policies and goals regarding sustainability in any of its incarnations.  Additionally, the company publishes annual sustainability reports in order to provide an overview of its efforts in this regard to all interested parties.

To learn more about Be Green Packaging’s CSR initiatives, visit their website here and the company news blog here.  The 2011 Sustainability Report can be downloaded here.

Be Green Packaging LLC, based in Santa Barbara, Calif., manufactures and distributes Cradle to Cradle^cm certified, tree-free, compostable packaging for the food and consumer packaging industries. The company’s products are made from annually renewable plant fibers that are safe for people and healthy for the planet. For more information about the company, please visit www.begreenpackaging.com.

Development of Be Green Packaging’s Ridgeland, South Carolina Manufacturing Facility Continues

Today marks the two-month anniversary of the commencement of warehousing operations at Be Green Packaging’s new Ridgeland, South Carolina manufacturing plant.  The facility, which will be the first plant fiber packaging manufacturing operation in the United States, is currently being developed in tandem with the Austin Company, a leading design-build engineering firm.  Be Green is aiming high with the new plant seeking to create a waste free facility and draw as much pulp material as possible from the surrounding communities.  Governor Nikki Haley and Senator Clemente Pinckney visited the plant this summer along with community member and leaders to welcome Be Green to the area.

To mark the occasion, we have gathered a few photos of the plant, which is coming along beautifully.

Be Green Attends Jasper Community Fund’s Inaugural Business Meeting and Living Legends Dinner Gala

Be Green Packaging recently attended the Jasper Community Fund’s Inaugural Business Meeting and Living Legends Dinner Gala.  The Fund maintain financial support (in the form of grants) to local non-profit organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club of the Lowcountry, the Pratt Memorial Library, the Hardeeville Community Library and the Jasper Conservation District/Blue Heron Nature Center.  In attendance on behalf of Be Green Packaging were Johnny McGill, Mark Blitzer, and Dave Brown.

This years event, which was held on October 13th, 2011 at the Davant Plantation in Ridgeland, SC, was guest emceed by Secretary of State Mark Hammond and celebrated the lives and accomplishments of Dr. Deloris Young and Mr. Gorden Wells.

Proctor & Gamble Releases 2011 Sustainability Overview, Highlights Work With Be Green Packaging

Proctor & Gamble has officially released their 2011 Sustainability Overview, which highlights the progress of the company’s efforts in regards to ‘environmental sustainability’ and ‘social responsibility’.  This years report tracks statistics related to various environmental parameters (water usage, material reduction, etc.) and also features in-depth profiles of specific examples where product or packaging innovation has led to improvements in any of the above mentioned parameters.

Be Green Packaging was prominently featured in the 2011 report for its ability to help P&G reduce plastic use by 57% and decrease product weight by 20%, which means less environmental impact and savings for the company on material costs.

The report can be downloaded as a PDF file here: P&G 2011 Sustainability Overview

Excellent Packaging & Supply Debuts Foodservice Containers Made From Bulrush

 

 

Marketed in partnership with Be Green Packaging, new line of high-performance supermarket trays, containers and portion cups for meat and poultry counters are made from bulrush and other compostable plant fibers.

Excellent Packaging & Supply, an innovator and wholesale distributor of sustainable, biodegradable, and nature-based packaging for foodservice and other applications, has added a new line of food display and presentation containers made from bulrush and other plant fibers to its line of compostable foodservice packaging products for supermarkets and grocery stores.

Designed to replace the polystyrene containers that are typically used in the meat, poultry and seafood departments, the new line includes trays, containers and portion cups made from plant fibers that will compost in 30-90 days in both home and municipal composting environments — significantly reducing landfill waste. The new line is manufactured by Be Green Packaging, a company that maintains the highest level of eco-certification in the industry.

“Ask any environmentally conscious grocer what they think of polystyrene and they’ll say they can’t stand the stuff, but that it’s a necessary evil because the alternatives just don’t hold up to real use behind the meat, poultry and seafood counters,” said Allen King, president of Excellent Packaging & Supply. “Our new line of supermarket food and meat trays proves that there is now a viable alternative that’s not made from corn, trees or plastic, and that offers the required durability and sturdiness — even when used with fresh, moist food.”

New trays look good and are sturdy and durable — with performance better than Styrofoam.
The new foodservice trays and containers are freezer-, microwave-, and oven-safe, making them some of the most durable plant-fiber products on the market. A key attribute of these trays and containers is that they are sturdy and can contain water, liquid and hot foods without compromising product performance. Until now, alternatives to polystyrene have generally not held up well with such foods, according to Gena Allen, catering director at Sunshine Foods in Saint Helena, California.

“At last, we can use an all-natural product that works well and even looks good! We’ve been trying to move away from Styrofoam for years but everything we tried couldn’t hold up when in contact with moist meats and poultry. With these new trays, we can package pretty much anything and feel confident that it will present well and stay fresh. And, because they don’t insulate, we can use them for seafood and not worry about the food spoiling even though it’s on ice. We keep telling Excellent Packaging to give us more sizes because these trays and containers have such a wide range of uses,” said Allen.

The Be Green Packaging trays and containers are available in an assortment of sizes, for immediate delivery. All of them are made from plant fibers, primarily bulrush, along with bamboo, sugarcane bagasse, and wheat or rice straw. These fibers are from annually renewable agricultural resources that do not compete with food production. The manufacturer, Be Green Packaging, holds certifications from the Cradle to Cradle™ Products Innovation Institute, Western Michigan University’s Recycling Program, the Biodegradable Product’s Institute (BPI), the Non-GMO Project, and the USDA BioPreferred Program. Be Green Packaging has also begun construction of a domestic factory in the USA that will produce their products using domestic, non-food raw materials within the a year.

Ordering information
The new line of foodservice containers made from plant fibers is available direct from Excellent Packaging (http://www.excellentpackaging.com). To learn more about the Be Green Line of products or the wider range of bio-based, sustainable catering products offered by Excellent Packaging, or to enquire about volume pricing, call (800) 317-2737 or email sales@excellentpackaging.com. For smaller order quantities, visit our online store:http://www.biomasspackagingstore.com.

About Excellent Packaging & Supply
Excellent Packaging & Supply (http://www.excellentpackaging.com) is a wholesale distribution company that specializes in nature-based packaging for foodservice and other applications. The company’s range of environmentally sustainable packaging includes compostable, biodegradable and recyclable product lines, as well as traditional packaging solutions. Excellent Packaging brings decades of experience to assist its customers with and inventory-control services, product development, sourcing, quality control, and price negotiation. Excellent Packaging also works with a wide variety of companies and organizations to research, source and deliver custom bio-based and traditional packaging and foodservice products that enable companies to integrate sustainable foodservice solutions into their business. Excellent Packaging markets sustainable foodservice packaging solutions for business, restaurant and home through its BioMass Packaging® division (http://www.biomasspackaging.com). Follow us on Facebook (BioMassPackaging) and Twitter (@BioMassPackage).