Julia Lodi has played a key role in developing innovative concepts for renowned corporations like Cadbury, Tate and Lyle and Hotel Chocolat in England. Currently, she excels as a procurement specialist in packaging for Nature’s Path in Vancouver, focusing on sourcing and developing sustainable products. As sustainability has driven significant positive changes over the past few years, Julia’s ability to leverage innovation propels organizations to attain eco-friendly and green packaging solutions.
A Journey in Food Industry Sustainability
I began my career over a decade ago in England, where I worked with Cadbury in two distinct roles. One role was centered on gifting, while the other involved extensive research. Throughout these experiences, customer science was central to our efforts, guiding our focus on enhancing customer experience, driving product innovation and optimizing product usage.
Working with various corporations throughout my career has allowed me to cultivate strong relationships with suppliers. My work at Tale and Lyle constituted long projects, particularly on sustainability and the implications of packaging choices. We made mindful changes to the packaging, which may impact the margin. We transitioned to more sustainable practices by incorporating post-consumer recycled (PCR) content into our packaging solutions. These contributions helped me understand the intricate balance between customer expectations, cost management and environmental impact, enabling me to make informed decisions as a procurement specialist at Nature’s Path, Canada.
Focus on balancing innovation and practicality to shape a sustainable future while educating consumers and improving infrastructure for long-term impact
Challenges over the Horizon of Packaging Industry
The first challenge is customer assumptions. While we have been trying to raise awareness on how to recycle goods and where to do so, there has been some information loss in translation. Many people are unaware of the distinction between biodegradable and compostable materials. Consumers assume that because a package is labeled as biodegradable, they can simply discard it in nature, expecting it to decompose. For example, packaging that appears to be environmentally friendly and made of paper may actually be laminated with plastic to protect the goods inside. This misconception can lead to improper disposal. It is essential to streamline communication and provide clear, actionable guidance on recycling and disposing of products.
A significant challenge in achieving large-scale sustainability is the lack of infrastructure. For example, England has a limited number of recycling centers, and in countries like Canada, these facilities are often concentrated in major cities. Even in urban areas, the volume of recyclable materials frequently exceeds the capacity of local facilities, resulting in a substantial amount of recyclable waste ending up in landfills. Making a sustainable impact in rural areas is even more challenging. While solutions like Loop and TerraCycle exist, they are often limited to specific products, making it difficult for individuals to feel their efforts are effective. Without adequate infrastructure, countries may struggle to meet their sustainability goals, leading to disinterest and potentially hindering progress. Addressing these challenges is crucial for advancing the industry and achieving meaningful sustainability.
Building the Future with Sustainable Principles
Nature’s Path is committed to leaving the earth and communities better than we found them. Through organic agriculture and environmentally conscious business practices, we aim to be leaders in a movement to protect our planet, champion the health of our soil and provide universal access to organic food. We base our operations on following the company’s six pillars of sustainability principles. These pillars include growing organic products, addressing climate change, achieving zero waste, preserving water, educating and engaging with customers and giving back to the community. We choose 100 percent renewable energy for our Canadian and U.S. operations and have purchased Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to cover all electricity consumed during production to support green energy projects in our local regions. Nature’s Path has been achieving zero waste leadership using the TRUE certification for zero waste from Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) for more than six years.
Sustainability is taken into consideration with product packaging, and the brand’s EcoPacs and bulk cereal options reduce overall packaging by 66 percent on average when compared to boxed cereal. All other packaging is made of FSC or SFI-certified, 100 percent recycled paperboard and corrugated with vegetable-based inks. The "Envirobox" format is a unique packaging presentation where our company reduces box sizes to reduce packaging across all cereal and granola products. Savings depend on the product, but the amount of cereal or granola remains the same. We are also committed to recycling and overall environmental education through our on-pack messaging.
In 2023, 90 percent of our packaging was recyclable by weight. We are actively pursuing our goal of ensuring 100 percent of our packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025 and commit to using at least 10 percent of post-consumer plastic by 2025. We engage and educate customers and communities through impactful actions and campaigns. For example, our Turtle Cereals for Kids feature bags made from 35 percent PCR content as part of a campaign to raise awareness about plastic pollution in oceans and turtle conservation. Over 14 years, we have donated over $62 million worth of food to local charities.
Sustainability Practices and Packaging
Sustainability practices vary between different locations. For example, polypropylene is commonly recyclable in England and has an efficient PCR content. In North America, polypropylene is less recyclable, while polyethylene is more effective. This diverse approach means that different regions progress at different speeds. Coordinating these efforts could accelerate our worldwide progress. Also, the push for sustainability has led to significant changes in how companies approach packaging. Innovations like smart packaging are promising but need careful evaluation for long-term impacts. Even seemingly sustainable options, like sugarcane-based packaging, require significant amounts of water and chemicals due to their intensive processes.
Balancing Innovation with Practicality
To build a modern, sustainable world, aligning industry, government and consumer efforts is crucial. We should focus on balancing innovation and practicality to shape a sustainable future while educating consumers and improving infrastructure for long-term impact. The industry should prioritize simple solutions like reducing material costs, implementing recyclable products and adding PCR content. These practical measures are more effective than altering packaging to match customer perceptions.
