(Credit: Conagra)
Conagra Brands announced new products that use bowls made from plant-based fibers. These bowls will be used for Healthy Choice Power Bowls, new Hungry-Man Double Meat Bowls, and P.F. Chang’s Ramen single-serve meals. According to Conagra, by using plant-based fibers instead of plastic, the carbon footprint of manufacturing the bowls is reduced by 50 to 70% across these product lines. The expansion will help to decrease Conagra’s carbon footprint by 34,117 metric tons.
The plant-based fiber bowl is designed by Footprint, a sustainable materials science technology firm that designs alternative solutions to single-use plastic. Conagra initially partnered with Footprint in 2017 to develop packaging for its Healthy Choice Power Bowls product line, which included a first-of-its-kind bowl made from plant-based fibers that could replace plastic alternatives. The versatile material is microwave safe, non-stick and cooler to the touch than traditional plastic packaging. Since introducing the packaging in 2017, Conagra has avoided the use of more than 3.5 million pounds of plastic packaging.
Conagra’s current efforts to improve the sustainability of its packaging are part of the company’s broader commitment to responsible sourcing, one of the four pillars of Conagra’s corporate social responsibility and ESG efforts.
Earlier this month, Conagra Brands and Berry Global announced a new package design for Conagra’s Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa line that reduces the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing and transporting the hot cocoa containers by 15%. Conagra said this is the first major hot cocoa brand to move from round canisters to a more eco-efficient recyclable cube.