First North American Converter Takes Aim at Grocery Industry with NatureWorks™ PLA

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First North American Converter Takes

Aim at Grocery Industry with NatureWorks™ PLA

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First North American Converter Takes

Aim at Grocery Industry with NatureWorks™ PLA

MINNESOTA, MINNETONKA, Mar. 7 -/E-Wire/-- Wilkinson Manufacturing in Fort Calhoun, Neb., has begun operation of the first production line in North America to make thermoformed food containers from NatureWorks™ PLA. The trademark NaturesPLAstic* will be used by Wilkinson, in addition to that of NatureWorks PLA to market its unique line of packaging for the deli and baked goods sections of grocery stores. Developed by Cargill Dow LLC, NatureWorks PLA is a more sustainable alternative to traditional plastic due to its derived source – corn. "This venture brings Wilkinson full-circle in the development of innovative food packaging", said Joe Selzer, vice president of marketing and sales. "Wilkinson was there when the concept of prepared food packaging was conceived in the early 1950s and actually produced the first aluminum T.V. dinner trays for Swanson Frozen Foods. Today of course, the food industry is more complex but requires the same innovative thinking in dealing with complex issues to find practical packaging solutions. That's why using naturally derived resources makes so much sense – processors, retailers and consumers all benefit because the packaging material has more environmental benefits."

Initially, Wilkinson Manufacturing Company will duplicate its trademarked DisplayPie*, Just Fresh* and PartiPak* products using 100 percent NatureWorks PLA to target certain retail applications. All three product lines come in various sizes consisting of clear plastic bases and matching lids. The containers are designed for the deli and bakery departments of grocery stores where consumer loyalty is key. Later this year, Wilkinson hopes to roll out food containers made entirely from NatureWorks to the "Away From Home" Foodservice Restaurant marketplace.

NatureWorks offers performance attributes like high clarity and gloss, superior flavor and aroma barrier combined with excellent strength. This combination of performance attributes makes food packaged with NatureWorks a more visually appealing product for consumers. "This marks the first opportunity for North American retailers to take advantage of a new marketing trend that many European retailers are capitalizing on," said Lisa Owen, commercial leader for rigid packaging, Cargill Dow. "European retailers are using NatureWorks to re-emphasize their efforts to bringing fresh, prepared food to their customers. Retailers are telling their consumers that they are going the extra mile by putting fresh ingredients in natural-based packaging. "IPER, an Italian grocery chain, has been using NatureWorks for approximately one year now. The retailer has emphasized 'natural-based packaging for natural food' and consumers have responded with increased sales and loyalty to IPER's delis." NatureWorks PLA technology produces the renewable resource-based resin by "harvesting" carbon from plants, such as corn, which has been removed from the air during photosynthesis. This is achieved by tapping into the carbon stored in plant starches, which are then broken down into natural plant sugars. The carbon and other elements in these natural sugars are then used to make plastic, called polylactide (PLA) through a simple process of fermentation and separation. The end result is a process that can use 20 percent to 50 percent less fossil fuels than petroleum-based plastics.

Wilkinson Manufacturing Company located near Omaha, Neb., is a leading manufacturer producer of both aluminum foil and OPS plastic packaging. Incorporated in 1948, Wilkinson is one of the more diverse food packaging companies in North America today, offering over 450 different products. Providing top quality products and services to foodservice distributors and end- users alike, Wilkinson continues to be an innovator of food packaging solutions in the 21st century. For more company information, please visit the Wilkinson Web site at http://www.wilkmfg.com.

Founded in 1997, Cargill Dow LLC is based in Minnetonka, Minn. It is the first company to offer its customers a family of polymers derived entirely from annually renewable resources with the cost and performance necessary to compete with packaging materials and traditional fibers. The company has achieved this breakthrough by applying its unique technology to the processing of natural plant sugars to create a proprietary polylactide polymer (PLA). For more company information, please visit the Cargill Dow Web site at http://www.cargilldow.com.

™Trademark of Cargill Dow LLC *Trademark of Wilkinson Manufacturing Company

Michael O’Brien, michael_o’[REDACTED-EMAIL],

Cargill Dow LLC, Phone: [REDACTED-PHONE]

Jennifer Paxinos, [REDACTED-EMAIL]

Gibbs & Soell Public Relations, Phone: [REDACTED-PHONE]

http://www.cargilldow.com

http://www.wilkmfg.com

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