Wednesday January 20, 2010

Taza To Increase Sustainability Efforts

Somerville, MA — Sustainability plans for 2010 are in the works at Taza Chocolate, with biodegradable shipment insulation and reduced carbon offsets for UPS shipments as top priorities.

Insulation that keeps chocolate cool during transportation in hot months is often plastic or Styrofoam, so the company plans to shift to biodegradable insulation in 2010, according to Aaron Foster, marketing manager.

“Our founders expressed a strong commitment to building a sustainable company, not just in the green sense, but also in the more social sense of creating more sustainable relationships with our suppliers,” he adds.

He says the company also plans to shift its shipments to ocean freight instead of air in an effort to increase fuel efficiency.

In addition, packaging for Taza’s stone ground chocolate products will use soy-based ink and be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, a nonprofit organization that approves printed goods with high environmental standards, Foster notes.

Foster says the company does not expect these changes to affect pricing.