Mars debuts 100% recyclable hot drinks freshpacks

Mars Drinks Debuts 100% Recyclable Freshpack with two drinks from THE BRIGHT TEA CO.™

Single-serve hot drinks in the office have just got more sustainable, thanks to the new recyclable Freshpacks from Mars Drinks North America. This announcement marks the latest milestone in the company’s commitment to sustainability. Through packaging innovation, the new recyclable materials reduce the carbon footprint by 40%, if the Freshpack is recycled this lowers the carbon footprint even further to 44% overall.*

The packaging innovation enabled the removal of an aluminum foil layer from two of the FLAVIA® single serve Freshpacks, as well as a move from three materials to a single, fully recyclable plastic. THE BRIGHT TEA CO.™ Earl Grey and English Breakfast teas, will be the first products in 100% recyclable Freshpacks, available nationwide in fall 2012.

This is a major development on Mars Drinks’ Path to Sustainability, with the company aiming to make all Mars Drinks Freshpacks 100% recyclable by 2015. Kate Wylie, Sustainability Director for Mars Drinks, explains: “This is a big step for single-serve sustainability and reducing the impact of our products. As part of Our Path to Sustainability we are committed to innovation and are always looking for new ways to enable us to become more sustainable, while supporting our customers in doing the same. This is a great achievement, and one that we will continue to build on in the future.”

Recycling of the Freshpacks is supported by the wider Mars Drinks Recycling Program (www.recycleyourfreshpacks.com), partnering with TerraCycle®. TerraCycle® can collect and recycle the new Freshpacks using its innovative process, resulting in plastic that can be used to make products such as office stationery and garden furniture.

FLAVIA® Freshpacks contain exact amounts of coffee and tea to brew a perfect single cup and are used in the FLAVIA® single-serve brewing systems developed specifically for offices. Mars Drinks sells ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™ coffee, THE BRIGHT TEA CO.™ tea and DOVE® Hot Chocolate and has been satisfying the individual tastes of coffee and tea drinkers in the workplace for more than 25 years. Mars Drinks was first to introduce a single-serve drinks system to the office.