Anchor introduces plant-based milk bottle in New Zealand

New Zealand based milk brand Anchor has added to its Blue range, with a new 2 litre bottle made from sugarcane, which is a natural, renewable and sustainably sourced material. The plant-based milk bottle is 100% kerbside recyclable, which aligns with Fonterra’s commitment to have all packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. Anchor Blue 2L in the new plant-based bottle will land on shelves across New Zealand’s North Island from mid October 2020.

The sugarcane is natural, renewable, and sustainably sourced and is an alternative to bottles made from non-renewable sources like fossil fuels. In addition, sugarcane captures CO2 from the atmosphere as it grows, resulting in a bottle that also has a low carbon footprint. The sugarcane is made into plant-based HDPE plastic in Brazil and the bottle itself is made here in New Zealand.

Brett Henshaw, managing director, Fonterra Brands said, “We know sustainability is important to Kiwis and we want to offer consumers an option to make change for good – to purchase a product that comes in more sustainable packaging.”

“This plant-based milk bottle is an important component in Fonterra’s wider sustainability strategy. We have also committed to moving towards renewable energy in transport and manufacturing and finding ways to manage and reduce our emissions over the whole supply chain,” he added.

Anchor has been part of New Zealand communities for 134 years and during this time it has innovated with a range of different milks and new packaging that respond to changing consumer needs.

The company said, initially the new plant-based milk bottle will be available in the North Island, with a view to expand distribution and product ranging based on consumer response. Anchor will launch with 300,000 Blue 2 liter bottles each month. Research into the new bottle shows that people are looking for products that are sustainably produced and they liked the plant-based bottle concept versus traditional fossil fuel-based plastic alternatives.

Anchor commissioned an independent life cycle assessment of the bottle which concluded this plant-based HDPE also has a lower carbon footprint than conventional fossil fuel-based HDPE, which most plastic milk bottles in New Zealand are made from. According to research from the Sustainable Business Council, sustainability is becoming increasingly important for everyday New Zealanders. 71% of Kiwis are actively researching the sustainability practices of brands before making a product purchase.

The Sustainable Business Network has also supported the announcement. Kate Haselhoff, project and partnership manager, the Sustainable Business Network commented, “Responsible businesses have an important role to play in addressing sustainability in packaging, so it’s really encouraging to see a prominent business like Fonterra undertake new trials and innovation in the packaging space as we look to transition to a circular economy.”