Plant-based beverage company Califia Farms announced Tuesday it has transitioned all of its bottles in the United States and Canada to 100 percent recycled plastic (rPET).
The company said the switch will help reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 19 percent, and to cut its energy use in half. The packaging update will impact the company’s portfolio of refrigerated plant milks, creamers, coffees and teas, officials said.
“This transition to 100% rPET represents a significant commitment to soften Califia’s environmental footprint,” Dave Ritterbush, chief executive officer at Califia Farms, said. “While Califia is an inherently sustainable business thanks to the plant-based products we produce, we recognize the importance of ongoing, forward progress in our sustainability journey. By moving to 100% rPET for our iconic curvy bottle, we’re taking a major step in reducing our reliance on virgin plastic and advancing the principles of a circular economy.”
The concept of circularity – reducing virgin materials and promoting the use of recycled ones – is nothing new at Califia. The company’s sustainability programs have implemented several light-weight projects that have helped slash the total amount of plastic used in its caps, bottles and labels, officials with the company said. Between 2019 and 2023, the circularity efforts have prevented four million pounds of plastic from being made, the company said.
“Replacing virgin plastic with recycled plastic is a critical part of ‘closing the loop’ in a circular economy,” Ella Rosenbloom, vice president of sustainability at Califia Farms, said. “When it comes to circularity, we’re focused on accelerating change and thoughtfully considering how best to innovate, circulate, and eliminate the plastic that we use. This rPET project has been an enormously rewarding and complex one that has involved countless team members focused entirely on driving positive impact.”
The company will also include on its packaging information and QR codes that will communicate the change to customers, as well as provide them with the company’s sustainability reports.