By Kate Bertrand Connolly, Packaging Editor | 11/02/2012 Using less packaging can be good for the environment, but it can also deliver business benefits by reducing packaging costs. No processor understands these dual advantages better than family-owned MOM Brands, Minneapolis. MOM Brands, formerly Malt-O-Meal Co., has long focused on keeping packaging and other operating costs down to ensure competitive pricing for its products. A key tactic is to use bags instead of bag-in-box packaging for its ready-to-eat cereals. Currently about 90 percent of MOM Brands' cereals are packaged in resealable bags. These products include Honey Nut Scooters, Crispy Rice, Golden Puffs and Frosted Mini Spooners. Three Sisters- and Bear River Valley-branded cereals also are packed in bags. The company only uses paperboard cartons if retailers won't accept cereal in bags, or if consumers are so biased against bags that they'd snub the product if it were sold without a box. "We started packaging our cereals in bags when we started producing ready-to-eat cereal back in the mid-1960s," says Linda Fisher, director of marketing communications for MOM Brands. "We did it primarily because it was a cost-saving packaging solution. We don't need a paperboard box covering the bag. And over time we have maintained that."   The cost component is essential, as MOM Brands' business strategy combines "high-quality cereal, bag packaging and affordable pricing," Fisher explains. A product like MOM Brands' Coco Roos, for example, provides a lower-cost alternative to General Mills Cocoa Puffs.

Is it time to bag the box?

With consumers' interest in ecological issues growing in the past several years, MOM Brands recognized that its bag packaging could be a strong selling point—if consumers fully understood the bags' green benefits.

“We started packaging our cereals in bags when we started producing ready-to-eat cereal back in the mid-1960s. We did it primarily because it was a cost-saving packaging solution. We don't need a paperboard box covering the bag. And over time we have maintained that.” - Linda Fisher, MOM Brands

To get the word out, the company launched its Bag the Box campaign in 2010. Bag the Box works with traditional media and social media such as Facebook and Twitter to educate consumers about the environmental virtues of bags versus boxes. Although MOM Brands' bags are not recyclable, they provide noteworthy waste reduction benefits, versus bag-in-box cereal, by eliminating a layer of packaging. According to the company, its packaging system creates 75 percent less consumer packaging waste. Also, according to the Bag the Box website, more than 2.3 billion cereal boxes are produced in the U.S. annually. Manufacturing them requires 345 million pounds of paperboard and, to power the box plants, 2.4 trillion BTUs of energy. With regard to shipping, the site explains, "If the boxes travel 100 miles to get to the cereal plant (conservative guess), this consumes 1,400 tons or the equivalent of 46 tanker trucks full of fuel." To save money, MOM Brands doesn't advertise on television. But its cost-effective Bag the Box campaign, which has generated plenty of buzz, shows that TV ads aren't necessary to engage consumers. Fisher says the campaign generated 55 million media impressions and 4.2 million video views in its first 18 months.

Upcycling into the future

To provide an end of life for its bags that doesn't include landfill, MOM Brands has partnered with TerraCycle Inc., Trenton, N.J., to create the Cereal Bag Brigade. Brigade participants, representing schools and other organizations, collect used MOM Brands bags and ship them to TerraCycle for upcycling into products like backpacks. TerraCycle accepts bags from Malt-O-Meal, Three Sisters, Bear River Valley, Isabel's Way and Sally's cereals. The Cereal Bag Brigade collects about 25,000 bags per month. MOM Brands also ships to TerraCycle all film that it cannot use for packaging, such as ends of film rolls and waste generated when changing over equipment. The company's bag material is made from a food-grade, polyethylene-based film; details of the multilayer film's structure are proprietary. TerraCycle currently is conducting a pilot program that lets individual households pack up mixtures of used packaging and ship them to TerraCycle for upcycling. MOM Brands is one of the brand owners participating in the pilot. "This would give every consumer who buys a package of our cereal the ability to send it someplace where it would be repurposed and made into something else," Fisher says. "That's a great end-of-life solution."

Beyond the package

MOM Brands' environmental and financial sustainability efforts extend well beyond packaging, shaping its plant operations and shipping practices. The company buys renewable (wind) energy credits to offset all the electricity used to make its broad assortment of natural cereals. These products are sold under the Mom's Best Naturals, Isabel's Way, Bear River Valley, Three Sisters and Sally's brand names. In addition, the company has created strict waste-reduction goals for its plants. "The goal is to recycle 95 percent of our waste, and we have hit that in our largest plant [Northfield, Minn.] year after year," Fisher says, noting that even food waste is recycled — by pig farmers. The plants also make it a priority to reduce energy and water use. To improve shipping efficiency, the company participates in the U.S. EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership. The SmartWay program helps companies improve their carbon footprint by reducing greenhouse gas emissions related to shipping freight. MOM Brands is active in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), as well. CDP is an international not-for-profit organization that collects and reports data on companies' greenhouse gas emissions, climate change strategies and water use.

Bottom line

The success of MOM Brands' strategies vis-à-vis packaging and operations is evident in its financials. According to Fisher, sales figures show that "our ready-to-eat cereal business is up 7.1 percent, in dollars for 2012 year-to-date." In contrast, the national brand owners with which the company competes have experienced flat or declining sales during the same period. "We are so sure of our business model and our strategy of high-quality products at affordable prices that we're investing in growth," Fisher says, adding that MOM Brands has invested $500 million in expansion and capacity enhancements since 2008. She adds, "We're the only cereal company investing in new plants in this country." The company just opened a greenfield one in Asheboro, N.C. "The beauty of being privately held is that our shareholders say, ‘We don't care about the next quarter. We care about the next generation.' We have very patient capital." Considering that Malt-O-Meal was founded in 1919 with $900 in poker winnings, "patient" pretty well sums it up.

TerraCycle is very excited to be working with one of its largest and longest-standing partners, Malt-O-Meal Cereals. Malt-O-Meal is a company that has reduced its packaging by 75% through its Bag the Box campaign. Bag the Box, a concept that simplified cereal packaging by losing the unneeded cardboard box and simply using a bag, has saved trillions of BTUs of energy, countless tons of fuel and hundreds of millions of pounds of waste since 2001. This waste-reducing concept made Malt-O-Meal and TerraCycle’s partnership a case of “eco-love at first sight!” The partnership created the Cereal Bag Brigade, which has since collected over 337,000 units and counting. Thus Malt-O-Meal is utilizing all 3 of the Environmental “R’s” – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Like TerraCycle, Malt-O-Meal knows its way around managing waste and we have enjoyed working with them for so many years. We like thinking, talking and living green and that is why from now until November 2nd, the Malt-O-Meal Facebook page is hosting an ongoing chat with our team members here at TerraCycle to give you our expert advice on any sustainable questions you have! Whether you have a burning question about what to do with an item you don’t want to trash, but don’t know what to do with, you’re curious about environmental waste issues, you’re looking for sustainable living tips, or you’re just there to have an eco-friendly chat, the TerraCycle Team is available for whatever your needs are for the next two weeks. We have become a go-to resource for recycling, upcycling and managing waste – both the ordinary and the hard-to-dispose-of varieties, and we are here to share our wisdom with you. We’re passionate about creating an open exchange of sustainability ideas, and we know you are too. So join us, get involved and click here to post your questions or follow our chats!

We all know that Earth Day comes in April. But since 1997, November 15 plays host to America Recycles Day (ARD)– a new day to stop and evaluate our environmental commitment, with help from the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) and Keep America Beautiful (KAB).  Of course, America Recycles Day is very important to TerraCycle because of our insatiable thirst for new waste to recycle. Yup, you can recycle your old, smelly shoes! Donate them to the Paired Shoe Brigade. In honor of ARD next month, TerraCycle is promoting some of the most unusual and unexpected things you can recycle. Dentures: In each set of dentures there is approximately $25 worth of metals such as gold and silver. By recycling these, the metals are recycled, and the proceeds are donated to UNICEF. Hotel Soap Slivers: More and more hotel chains are recycling their slivers of soap and giving them to the needy. You could also throw them in the heel of a pair of stockings to make your own soap-on-a-rope. Get involved here. Diapers: British company, Knowaste, has been recycling diapers since 1999. Later this year, TerraCycle will launch the first free pilot for dirty diaper recycling in the U.S.! This is definitely a positive development, as the average baby goes through approximately 6,000 disposable diapers by the time they are potty trained. Running Shoes: Recycled shoes can be made into building materials or, if they are not beaten up too badly, can be given to people who are unable to afford shoes for themselves. Check out TerraCycle’s Paired Shoe Brigade. Bicycles: By recycling bikes, people in third-world countries could have the opportunity to have the luxury of basic transportation. About 15 million bikes are thrown away in the U.S. each year. Check out Recycle A Bicycle to get started! Mattresses: A lot of mattress retailers have been taking on the act of recycling your old bed. They are taken apart, and about 90% of the material from the mattresses are being upcycled. Lots of options are out there, including Nine Lives Mattress Recycling. Pantyhose: Pantyhose can be sent to No Nonsense and they will turn the used garments into park benches, playground equipment, carpets etc. No matter what the material, it is important to stop and think about how to rescue it from a life in a smelly, wasteful landfill! Come back closer to America Recycles Day for more wonderfully weird recycling ideas!

We came across a staggering piece of information recently: nearly half of the containers and packaging that ends up in landfills can be recycled. Half. That’s a lot of every-day items in homes across America that can be re-used. Our Bag The Box friend, Tom Szaky with TerraCycle, recently wrote a great piece for Packaging Digestin which he points out that statistic, as well as some other gems, like how a March 2012 Nielsen study showed that recycling was the most important environmental aspect of a product across both genders and all age groups. Recycling and, our favorite, re-using is so important to people, yet so many items go to waste. Why? Recycling -- or upcycling -- is easier than people may think. Earth911 came out with a list a few years ago that bears repeating. People don’t recycle or re-use because: -       It’s inconvenient, or they don’t have curbside containers to help sort. -       There’s no incentive to do it. -       It’s not economical. Sometimes earth-friendly packaging can be more expensive. While these are valid issues, we here at Bag The Box take issue with the last two. Look at our Malt-O-Meal cereals, for example. We’re priced less than our competitors, and one of the reasons for that is our packaging. And there certainly is an incentive to recycle and reuse; in fact, there are hundreds of them! You can send in used bags to TerraCycle so the team can come up with fun ways to make it into a wallet or gift bag. You can take on DIY projects on your own. You can donate to the Cereal Bag Brigade. But obviously, word needs to get out! If people aren’t aware of the incentives, they can’t take advantage of them. So Tom says in his Packaging Digest article, the frame of mind needs to change. He says the next time you see an empty box or wrapper, don’t just walk on by. Instead, “ask yourself not only where it came from, but also where it can go.” Where have your Malt-O-Meal cereal bags gone? What have you done lately to change your frame of mind?

Hudsonville Christian School released the detailed list of waste to be sent to TerraCycle.

Have you heard of TerraCycle before? They upcycle and products that you wouldn’t normally think about recycling. Bags of chips, juice boxes, candy, etc. It’s up to YOU to help them out! Sign up to help collect or drop off your stash at locations nearby. Many times you’ll earn $.02 per item! Everything gets turned into FuN new products!   My boys were sent some Back to School supplies and they couldn’t stop saying ‘Awesome!’ as they opened up the box! Capri Sun Drink Pouch Backpack – did you know billions of juice pouches are thrown away annually? Capri Sun Lunch Box – the inside is cool – the design and the temperature! Kool Aid Pencil Pouch – each drink is individually stitched together on each product. Malt O Meal Notebook – cereal bags produce 75% less packaging to dispose than traditional cereal boxes. See we’re ALL learning with TerraCycle!

Painting the outside of a house can be a real chore – a hot, sticky, messy chore. But it’s not so bad when you have hundreds of people to help. Our friends at TerraCycle are hosting the 8^th annual Jersey Fresh Jam this weekend at their “house.” Hundreds of aerosol artists will descend upon the Trenton, NJ property to show off their skills with a spray can. TerraCycle gives them free reign to paint their art (tastefully, of course!), which will remain on the outside walls of TerraCycle’s headquarters until next summer. This one-day event offers the Trenton area’s urban artists a constructive outlet to express themselves while showcasing the more positive side to graffiti art. As this kind of event is becoming more common, often legal graffiti art is showcased in galleries across the country.   And have no fear: the artists use paint that is eco-friendly with low VOC levels. We wouldn’t expect anything less, guys and gals!   During the day, various local and regional emcees, bands and DJs will provide a soundtrack of sorts to the day, and the public is invited to see how these artists work (for free!). Malt-O-Meal is also providing breakfast for everyone that morning to keep them fueled and happy. And, there’s even an official after-party hosted by Jersey Fresh Jam. What’s not to love?

Editor’s Note: We asked our good friend Albe Zakes at TerraCycle, to share his ideas on gamification when it comes to living the eco-friendly lifestyle. Here are his thoughts. Playing games is an integral part of growing up. No matter the type of game, from the playground to living room, we learn valuable life lessons like how to follow rules, the importance of teamwork, and how to set and reach goals. Most importantly though, we play games because it’s fun and rewarding! Companies are now applying the enjoyment we get from playing games to non-game-like contexts – namely education and marketing – in the hopes that consumers will adopt new behaviors. This concept, dubbed “gamification” can be just what the green movement needs to motivate people to fully embrace a more sustainable life. What is Gamification? Companies use gamification to encourage a certain behavior by awarding points, achievement badges, virtual currency, real-life prizes or coupons or by showing progress bars and leader boards. The explosion of social networking and smart phones has made gamification a fundamental part of companies’ marketing strategies and is even used to motivate their own employees. Gamification could change the world by encouraging people to be the best they can: healthier, educated, and more sustainable. It’s so powerful because it can be applied to anything, but it is taking hold in the environmental and socially responsible movements.

There are a lot of eco-friendly companies out there, but no other company is quite like TerraCycle. This company literally takes your garbage and makes practical products such as plant food, backpacks, frames, toys and more! This company pays schools and non-profit organizations for their trash saving 1000's of tons of waste from going to landfills. For every item return, TerraCycle donates 2 cents to the school or charity. This company is so amazing!

Ever wonder how you can wear your cereal? That’s right. Wear. You have a perfectly good bag when you finish your Malt-O-Meal cereal, so do something cool with it! Our friends at TerraCycle think this way every day of their lives. That’s why we love them. They take what most people think of as trash and make them into treasures.