Tuesday, 29 October 2019 13:55

Creamery boosts recycled packaging

Written by  Staff Reporters

Boutique dairy producer Lewis Road Creamery has eliminated 210 tonnes of fresh plastic from its packaging cycle over the last year.

The company has been trialling bottles made from 100% recycled plastic. 

To celebrate Recycling Week NZ, the company said it has now permanently shifted all its bottles to rPET, which is made from 100% recycled plastic and is 100% recyclable in New Zealand. 

“No new plastic is created, and no plastic is shipped offshore because rPET is accepted by every council in the country,” said Lewis Road founder Peter Cullinane. 

“It’s an additional cost to us, but it’s one we’re happy to absorb rather than pass on simply because this is the right thing to do.”

He said switching the company’s 750ml and 1.5L milk bottles had saved the production and import of 210 tonnes of fresh plastic into New Zealand.

 Also, the company will now change its 300ml flavoured milk and cream bottles to rPET, and will reduce the amount of plastic used in each of its 1.5L bottles by 30%. These two moves will save an extra combined 73 tonnes of plastic each year.

“The colour of the bottles isn’t perfect,” said Cullinane. 

“We’ve had to tell a few customers that even though the bottles no longer look completely clear, the product inside is still pristine. Hopefully by doing this we can help make the path easier for others who may follow.”

More like this

Rocky Road milk is here

Speciality milk producer Lewis Road Creamery is celebrating its 10th anniversary of iconic chocolate milk with a new flavour.

Love for choc milk still strong

Premium dairy brand Lewis Road Creamery is celebrating a decade since the country went crazy for its iconic fresh chocolate milk.

Cream of the crop

One of New Zealand's largest dairy farmers won the 2024 'Food, Beverage and Fibre Producer' award at the NZ Primary Industries Awards.

Opinion divided

OPINION: Boutique milk company Lewis Road Creamery’s latest offering to mark Matariki is unfairly facing heat from certain quarters of Māoridom, who are opposed to any commercialisation of all things Māori.

Featured

Dr Mike Joy says sorry, escapes censure

Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.

People-first philosophy pays off

The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.

Farmer anger over Joy's social media post

A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.

National

Machinery & Products

JDLink Boost for NZ farms

Connectivity is widely recognised as one of the biggest challenges facing farmers, but it is now being overcome through the…

New generation Defender HD11

The all-new 2026 Can-Am Defender HD11 looks likely to raise the bar in the highly competitive side-by-side category.

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Buttery prize

OPINION: Westland Milk may have won the contract to supply butter to Costco NZ but Open Country Dairy is having…

Gene Bill rumours

OPINION: The Gene Technology Bill has divided the farming community with strong arguments on both the pros and cons of…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter