So Delicious Introduces Plant-Based Bottles for Organic Almond Milk Products

In response to the growing interest in recyclable packaging in the food industry, dairy-alternative company So Delicious, has introduced their first plant-based bottle for their line of organic almond milk products.

The packaging that is used for the “So Delicious Almondmilk with Cashew” product range is composed of 80 percent plant-based materials and is mostly sourced from the sugarcane plant. These new cashew-infused almond milks are gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free and they contain no artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives.  The beverages are also made from seven ingredients or less.

“Every ingredient has a purpose, and every flavor comes to life in its own unique way,” said Aubrey Yuzva, Senior Brand Manager, So Delicious Dairy Free. “It’s so delicious, you’ll be so surprised it’s such a simple recipe with no extra.”

The company hopes that these new packaging strategies will help them grow as a clean label brand. Such qualities are appealing to the millennial market, which is currently dominating the food industry. A recent survey by Luminer found that consumers place high value on environmentally friendly packaging. About 56 percent of survey participants said that they are likely to select a product with sustainable packaging over one that does not have it.

So Delicious is also highlighting the term “simplicity” on their new product packaging. The bottle features four sides that have easy to follow product descriptions. The container design makes use of only 2-3 varieties of monochromatic colors and 2-3 images. The main face of the bottle has the logo, the name and three key phrases – unsweetened, simply 6 ingredients, featuring organic almonds and cashews – along with three sustainability certification logos – non-gmo, USDA organic, and ASTM certified green plastic. According to Mintel, minimalist packaging designs are finding more success in the healthy-foods market and simplicity in ingredients and information is key to developing a “clean label.”

There is a growing interest in health-based foods in the grocery space, which is leading food manufacturers to invest in healthier food products. This variety in food options is causing a lot of competition in the market. That is one of the reasons why food manufacturers are starting to appeal to the other factors that are important to consumers, such as environmental welfare.

So Delicious is not the only large-scale food company looking into biodegradable packaging. Last spring, the two largest bottled water companies in the world, Nestlé Waters and Danone, had partnered with a California-based startup, Origin Material, to develop bottles made from 100 percent bio-based materials. The initiative, called the NaturALL Bottle Alliance, is aiming to produce a bottle that is 100 percent recyclable and renewable and the materials, once developed, will be available for all members of the food industry.

More recently, Florida-based SaltWater Brewery introduced a biodegradable six-pack ring for their canned beer products. The ring is made from wheat and barley instead of plastic and is non-toxic for animals who consume them. The “eco six-pack ring” was developed by startup company E6PR and they are currently looking into expanding their reach to soda and other beverage manufacturers.

With the market for bio-based PET containers estimated to be worth $13.1 billion by 2023, it likely that we will see more companies investing in sustainable packaging.