Forget the distinctive glass bottle, most of the Heinz ketchup sold today comes in plastic containers. But a new partnership with Coca-Cola will soon see the company switching to something much more green: bottles made from plants.
Aptly called PlantBottle technology, the new material is nearly indistinguishable from regular plastic and remains 100 percent recyclable, but it’s made from 30 percent plant-based materials. Currently the process utilizes sugarcane from Brazil.
“The partnership of Coca-Cola and Heinz is a model of collaboration in the food and beverage industry that will make a sustainable difference for the planet,” Heinz Chairman, President and CEO William R. Johnson said in a statement. “Heinz Ketchup is going to convert to PlantBottle globally, beginning with our best-selling 20-ounce variety of Heinz Ketchup, which will reach consumers this summer.”
Coke has been using PlantBottle since 2009, while the first Heinz PlantBottles should be hitting store shelves in June, accompanied by the tag line “GUESS WHAT MY BOTTLE IS MADE OF?”