Gerber Announces Baby Food Industry's First Single-Material Pouch

The first-of-its-kind, single-material baby food pouch is designed to increase recycling value and promote the circular economy

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Gerber

Mar 05, 2020, 09:00 ET

ARLINGTON, Va., March 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Gerber, the early childhood nutrition leader, announced a first-of-its-kind, single-material baby food pouch designed for the future of recycling. Developed in partnership with Gualapack, the world leader of premade spouted pouches, this is the latest initiative in Gerber's journey to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. It is also an important milestone in creating a wider market for recycled plastics that are safe for food.

The first-of-its-kind, single-material baby food pouch is designed to increase recycling value and promote the circular economy.

"Designing with a single material creates greater value for the recycling industry, promoting the development of better recycling infrastructure," said Associate Director of Packaging at Gerber, Tony Dzikowicz. "After more than two years of experimenting and innovating, we were able to help create a first-of-its-kind solution for baby food that meets the safety and freshness requirements for our little ones."

With Nestlé as a founding member of Materials Recovery for the Future (MRFF), a research collaborative committed to creating recycling solutions, Gerber is helping to expand curbside recycling for the pouch – and all baby food pouches. MRFF's pilot program in Pottstown, PA is now the first curbside recycling program in the U.S. to accept flexible plastics such as these.

"We believe the baby food industry should help create a world where babies thrive, and initiatives like this one help us go beyond nutrition to protect the planet," said Gerber President and CEO Bill Partyka. "We're committed to making 100% of our packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025, and this pouch is an important step in promoting the development of better recycling infrastructure."

The pouch will be available exclusively on TheGerberStore.com for Gerber's Organic Banana Mango Puree beginning in May 2020, with expansion in product offerings to follow. The pouch will be 100% recyclable through Gerber's national recycling program with TerraCycle®, a social enterprise on a mission to eliminate the idea of waste.

Gerber's sustainability efforts go beyond packaging, with a focus on reducing energy use, water use and carbon emissions in its factories, and upholding some of the industry's strongest agricultural standards through its Clean Field Farming™ practices. Gerber is also continuing to expand its USDA Certified Organic product lines.

About Gerber

Gerber Products Company was founded in 1928 in Fremont, Mich. Gerber joined the Nestlé family on September 1, 2007. Gerber is a leader in early childhood nutrition. At Gerber, research informs everything we do – from the products we make, the nutrition education we deliver and the services we offer. Gerber provides resources from the Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) for health care professionals at Medical.Gerber.com/FITS and for parents at Gerber.com.

About Nestlé

Nestlé in the United States is committed to enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future for individuals and families, for our thriving and resilient communities, and for the planet. We are transforming our product portfolio by focusing on high-growth categories, including pet care, bottled water, coffee, consumer health and infant nutrition, and offering brands people love. With more than 48,000 employees across 36 states, Nestlé in the U.S. offers a wide portfolio of food and beverage products for people and their pets throughout their lives. Nestlé in the U.S. consists of seven main businesses: Nestlé USA, Nestlé Waters North America, Nestlé Nutrition, Nestlé Professional, Nespresso, Nestlé Health Science and Nestlé Purina PetCare Company. The United States is Nestlé S.A.'s largest market with combined product sales in the United States totaling more than $28 billion in 2018. For more information, visit NestleUSA.com or Facebook.com/NestleUSA.

CONTACT: Alexandra Talleur, Edible, 415-486-3254, [email protected]

SOURCE Gerber