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Home > News & Events > Press Releases > 2005 > A Naturally Refreshing Choice
June 5, 2005 - A “Naturally” Refreshing Choice – Organic Milk in Nature-Based Bottles Rolling Out at HyVee and Earth Fare
Clarinda, Iowa – June 5, 2005 – Looking to capture consumer attention by bringing a fresh new twist to an “old classic,” two leading retailers are the first to offer all-natural organic milk packaged in nature-based bottles made from corn. The product – Rolling Hills Organic Milk – is now available at Hy-Vee stores in southwest Iowa, and will be available soon at Earth Fare locations in Chapel Hill, N.C.
“Rolling Hills Organic Milk captures the inherent wholesomeness of milk and makes it even better by offering shoppers and all-natural organic choice bottled in 100 percent natural packaging made from NatureWorks® PLA,” says Bill Horner, president of Naturally Iowa LLC, the producer of Rolling Hills.
Made 100 percent from corn, NatureWorks PLA provides the convenience, look, feel and performance of petroleum-based plastic packaging – while minimizing the environmental impact. “NatureWorks PLA packaging allows us to provide consumers a more wholesome, responsible packaging choice without compromising convenience or cost,” says Horner.
Available in half-gallon bottles, the Rolling Hills Organic Milk line includes skim, 1 percent, 2 percent and whole milk. The milk is produced exclusively on Iowa farms that are certified as “natural” or “organic” by the Midwest Food Alliance.
A Strategic Promotional Advantage
According to Brian Glasbrenner, business development manager for PLA bottles, NatureWorks LLC, nature-based packaging provides a perfect promotional advantage for products such as organic milk.
“Retailers and brand owners are constantly looking for ways to enhance their brand image and increase customer loyalty, while helping their products stand out from the clutter of the beverage case and dairy aisle,” says Glasbrenner. “Retail success and consumer research shows that shoppers perceive that the nature-based packaging enhances the appeal of fresh foods and beverages, and strongly prefer products packaged in nature-based containers.”
Horner credits NatureWorks PLA for helping Naturally Iowa differentiate its Rolling Hills and other brands through packaging. In addition, he says that the use of NatureWorks PLA is also helping the company overcome the distribution challenges of a smaller company.
“We’re getting tremendous attention from retailers for pairing our natural milk products with packaging that is just as natural,” he says. “The nature-based bottle is key – without it, we would only have half the appeal.”
In addition to Rolling Hills Organic Milk, Naturally Iowa uses NatureWorks PLA packaging for its entire line of organic and natural dairy products, which includes fluid milk in an assortment of serving sizes, as well as several flavors of “spoonless” yogurt. Naturally Iowa also markets Falk’s Classic Homemade Ice Cream – which will soon be offered in nature-based containers as well.
These all-natural products are available at many leading regional grocery chains and national natural foods retailers. Residents located in and around the Omaha metro areas, as well as Council Bluffs, Iowa, can also order Naturally Iowa products for home delivery by logging onto www.milk2you.com. Similar service is expected soon in the Des Moines and Ames areas.
Range of Disposal Options
In addition to the appeal of its sustainable source, NatureWorks PLA packaging has the flexibility to be disposed of in several manners, including recycling and composting, and fits most local waste disposal schemes. The material has been successfully composted in applications where that disposal method is desired and commercial composting infrastructure is in place, and it has been reviewed by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) and is listed as positive for compostable materials. The multiple disposal alternatives of NatureWorks PLA means it can play a key role in landfill diversion.
About Naturally Iowa LLC
Naturally Iowa LLC represents a consortium of dairy farms located in southwestern Iowa. Each of the farms adheres to the guidelines for “organic” as certified by the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship Organic Certification Program and “natural” dairy products, as certified by Food Alliance Midwest. This dedication to healthful, quality food and sustainability extends to Naturally Iowa’s state-of-the-art processing plant located in Clarinda, Iowa. Naturally Iowa dairy products are distributed by Advantage Sales and Marketing, and are available through home delivery service in several Midwestern cities. For more information visit www.naturallyiowa.com.
About NatureWorks LLC
Based in Minnetonka, Minn., USA with manufacturing facilities in Blair, Neb., NatureWorks LLC is the first company to offer a family of commercially available polymers derived 100 percent from annually renewable resources with cost and performance that compete with petroleum-based packaging materials and fibers. The company applies its unique technology to the processing of natural plant sugars to create a proprietary polylactide polymer, which is marketed under the NatureWorks® PLA and Ingeo™ fiber brand names.
For more information about NatureWorks PLA, please visit www.natureworksllc.com.
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