Most of us want less plastic in our lives. By now, we know how bad it is for our environment, especially our oceans, and our personal health. SAMBAZON is dedicated to minimizing our use of plastic packaging, so we can reduce our contribution to plastic pollution around the world.
In fact, we've set a goal that all of our retail and foodservice packaging will be recycled or plant-based materials and be recyclable or compostable by 2030. We're dedicating many resources and employee hours to achieving it. With every packaging decision we make, our plastic-reduction goal is top-of-mind. This includes continuously exploring and testing new compostable materials and technologies.
Why & How We Track Our Progress
The journey of SAMBAZON's Certified Organic and Fair Trade Açaí, what we like to call "Palm to Palm," begins in the palm of the Açaí tree and continues to the palm of your hands. It's a cycle of positive impact that is guided by our three sustainability pillars: safeguarding the Amazon, pioneering traceability and having a light footprint. A light footprint means we take seriously how our business impacts the health of our planet. A big part of this means reducing the plastic waste our packaging creates.
To better measure and track our progress towards our plastic packaging reduction goals, we developed a packaging classification (E=Eco) system that guides our decision making.
· E1 virgin plastic, non-recyclable. We avoid this as much as possible.
· E2 virgin materials not from renewable sources but recyclable. This is often the best available packaging from current options.
· E3 post-consumer recycled content that is recyclable.
· E4 plant-based material, from a sustainably managed source that is compostable or recyclable.
Where We Are Today
Like you, we wish there were simple and straight-forward solutions to the packaging and plastic conundrum. Packaging is a part of our business where we're always making tough choices that weigh food safety, food waste, shipping weight, energy usage and more. We're working to use less plastic for our food service packaging, but we did experience an increase in plastic of 1% in 2024 due to an overall increase in our food service business.
*2023 numbers were adjusted to reflect updated packaging regulation classifications.
We’re increasing our use of fiber bowls whenever possible. We're proud to share that our Ready to Top (RTT) Açaí Bowls are packaged in FSC-certified fiber, which means the fibers are from forests that are sustainably managed. Our use of this plant-based material for our RTT bowls means more than 1 million lbs (about 450 metric tons) of plastic is avoided. That would've been more than 21 million plastic bowls!
At SAMABON's retail stores, we had a 3% increase in 2024 of plant-based materials, thanks to an increase in bowls sold. Each bowl holding all of that purple Açaí goodness is made with 100% plant-based materials that are recyclable.
While the global infrastructure gap in packaging is an ever-present challenge, our SAMBAZON team is focused on implementing creative innovations that reduce our environmental impact. Globally, our packaging materials footprint was 6.7 million pounds in 2024. Of this, 51% were plant-based, 47% were plastic and 2% were metal.
Product Innovation Highlight
Our latest and greatest product innovation is our Original Açaí, a blend of Açaí and Guaraná in easy-to-use globe shapes. We've removed excess packaging by eliminating the need for inner liners. While not yet available on a national scale, it will be soon. We’re excited to continue innovating as we develop new products with delicious taste, functionality and packaging.
Through the Years: SAMBAZON's Packaging Changes
Since 2018, we've looked for ways to reduce plastic and the overall impact of our packaging. Following are highlights of these positive changes:
· Transitioned our Sorbet pints from plastic to paper, reducing plastic by about 90%.
· Launched our plant-based Ready to Eat-Bowls with a container made from Forest Stewardship Council certified plant fibers. They're also Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) free.
· Transitioned our Fresh Juices into 25% post-consumer recycled bottles.
· Frozen Açaí Bites boxes are made with 100% recycled paperboard.
· Reduced the amount of plastic in our Frozen Açaí Superfruit Pack bags by 11%.
Looking Forward: Working Together for a Zero-Plastic Future
In 2018, we joined the One Step Closer (OSC) Packaging Collaborative with the goal to remove petroleum-based plastics from landfills, oceans and our planet. We're proud to continue our work with OSC, engaging with collaborative groups and organizations on testing and scaling packaging solutions, as well as staying updated with policy changes.
One of the OSC Packaging Collaborative’s key initiatives is to help brands transition into compostable Flexible Films. Through this collaborative network, we are pioneering, testing and trialing viable plant-based alternatives for the hard-to replace frozen flexible films. This is a complex problem that, once solved, will enable us to eliminate most plastic from our frozen items.
In addition to this collaboration, SAMBAZON is actively monitoring new packaging regulations in states such as California, Oregon and Washington. In 2024, we began implementing these regulations that impact our packaging decisions and inspire us to continually improve to stay ahead of these standards.
Every packaging decision we make at SAMBAZON considers our 2030 goal and overall commitment to a healthier planet. While the path isn’t always simple, we’re making steady progress toward less plastic and more sustainable packaging solutions. We look forward to sharing more as our journey continues to unfold.