How We’re Developing Packaging Solutions for a Sustainable Future
Altay Ovunc
Director, Worldwide Product Innovation

While plastic has many valuable uses, the challenge is that only a small amount of plastic packaging is currently recycled, recyclable, or reusable. Plastic waste is expected to quadruple from 2010 to 2050 and global recycling capacity will only cover 1/3 of the waste. Because of our commitment to environmental sustainability, we can help mitigate the significant economic loss for society, the economy, and the environment.

As a global nutrition company, environmental sustainability is an integral part of our innovation strategy. We’re focused on developing new product packaging solutions that are safe, functional and environmentally friendly to support our efforts in promoting a sustainable future and reducing plastic waste.

Moving Towards a Circular Economy By Reducing our Plastic Waste

The concept of a circular economy looks beyond the linear consumer-waste industrial model and focuses on a positive design framework that reduces waste, extends the life of products and packaging materials, and regenerates natural systems.

We are evaluating where we can make the greatest impact for the environment, based on our unique supply chain, manufacturing, and distribution model. We are excited to present innovative packaging solutions, as part of a larger sustainability journey, ensuring our company continues to thrive, as does the environment we live in.

As part of our journey, we’re proud to now include 25 percent of Post-Consumer Resin (PCR) plastic in our product packaging, starting with our flagship Formula 1 Healthy Meal Nutritional Shake Mix canisters in the North American region and later expanding globally.

With over 77 million Formula 1 canisters sold annually, there is great potential to significantly reduce our plastic waste and move even closer towards a circular economy.

How is our 25 Percent PCR Formula 1 Canister Produced?

Post-consumer recycled resin (PCR) is a material made from recycled plastic bottles, providing a more sustainable source material than virgin plastic material for packaging food products.

When consumers recycle these packaging materials, they are sent to the recycling facilities and are sorted into different categories. The plastic material is then put through a process where it gets melted into small plastic pellets called post-consumer resin or PCR. The PCR pellets are then mixed into a molder with virgin plastic to create a brand-new canister.

We then put them through a cleaning process, so each canister is ready to be filled, weighed, labeled, and shipped to a local Herbalife Nutrition distribution center. From there, the Formula 1 canister is ready to be sent to or picked up by an Herbalife Nutrition distributor and available for their customers.

What Is the Impact of PCR on the Quality of Our Formula 1?

Our top priority is to ensure the quality of every single product we put into market for the millions of people who choose our products to be a part of their daily nutrition. That includes sourcing the best ingredients, adhering to strict manufacturing standards and relentless testing.

This commitment to quality also extends to our packaging. Our 25 percent PCR Formula 1 canister offers a high level of protection and strength since PCR plastic has the same capacity to block light, oxygen, and toxins from penetrating the package layer and getting into the product.

By safely incorporating PCR plastic into the Formula 1 canisters, we are able to accelerate our efforts to make a significant impact on the environment, without compromising the quality of our packaging or products.

What Is the Environmental Impact of the PCR Formula 1 Canister?

While our Formula 1 canisters are already recyclable, we’re going further by incorporating PCR materials. The 25 percent PCR Formula 1 canister contributes to better environmental sustainability in three different ways:

  • Smaller carbon footprint
  • Reduced plastic use
  • Less waste

By incorporating PCR into our Formula 1 canisters, we are helping our company reduce its carbon footprint and lessen its impact on landfills. Through this step of including 25 percent PCR, we will remove 500 tons of plastic from the waste stream. To date, we’ve eliminated 150 tons of plastic from our Formula 1 canisters since 2015.

The higher percentage PCR we can include in our products, the higher impact we can make on protecting the environment. Therefore, we are planning to expand PCR packaging into other high-impact products including Herbal Tea Concentrate and Herbal Aloe Concentrate. We are committed to  increasing the percentage of PCR used in our packaging and expanding into different markets worldwide to grow our plastic reduction impact globally.

With our global reach, we have the ability to mobilize our customers and distributors to become changemakers in their own communities and make a positive impact on the environment by recycling or upcycling canisters after use

I’m proud to work with incredible teams across the company spanning packaging engineering, quality, sourcing, supply chain, project management, manufacturing, regulatory affairs, corporate affairs, innovation and product marketing, who are bringing forth innovative solutions to protect our environment. This is only the beginning of our sustainability efforts and we’re excited about the journey ahead.