Kartik Iyer
Tejal Jadhav
Divya Jain
Anupam Jain
Jhalak Jain
Megha Gupta
K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research
Preeti Rawat
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The Plant bottles are made of plastic, but made from plants including sugarcane and by-products of processing sugarcane, rather than petroleum products, which leave a much larger environmental footprint. It was developed in partnership with Virent, a processor of biofuels and biochemicals.
The technology has enabled them to eliminate the potential for more than 315,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions — equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide emitted from burning more than 743,000 barrels of oil — and save more than 36 million gallons of gas.
Innovation comes from inspiration, and The Coca-Cola Company is greatly inspired by the very people who drink their beverages. Their consumers expect them to deliver the beverages they know and love in a package that meets their needs such as convenience and safety, but also in a package that is environmentally considerate. PlantBottle™ packaging has been meeting consumer expectations since 2009. The first-ever fully recyclable PET plastic beverage bottle made partially from plants looks and functions just like traditional PET plastic, but has a lighter footprint on the planet and its scarce resources.
We know that natural resources are stressed and communities are forced to do more with less. PlantBottle Technology™ has the potential to reduce the amount of petroleum used around the world and increase the use of renewable materials, therefore helping address our shared global environmental challenges. PlantBottle™ packaging material is made by converting the natural sugars found in plants into a key ingredient for making PET plastic. Today, we are using sugarcane and waste from the sugarcane manufacturing process
PlantBottle is used in most of North American Coca Cola plants for packaging and has eventually increased sales. This has not only increased the trust of the customers towards the brand but has also created a remarkable statement of protecting our environment. The overall cost of packaging has now stabilized and is lower than that of normal PET bottles as fewer chemicals are used to manufacture them. With efficient machinery in place, production and packaging costs is projected to be lower in future too.
Coca Cola realised that natural resources are stressed and communities are forced to do more with less. PlantBottle Technology™ has the potential to reduce the amount of petroleum used around the world and increase the use of renewable materials, therefore helping address our shared global environmental challenges. PlantBottle™ packaging reduces dependence on fossil fuel-based materials compared with traditional PET plastic, which reduces the Company’s dependence on non-renewable resources.
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SWATI BHURA, SUPPLY CHAIN FINANCE MANAGER
