First Choice Fresh Extended Shelf Life (ESL) milk, manufactured by Woodlands Dairy, one of the largest producers in South Africa, has launched its new biobased fresh milk ESL pack.

Sporting a new look and feel, incorporating the biobased messaging as well as a new green biobased closure, this is yet another move from Woodlands Dairy to show their commitment to making small changes for the greater good and earnestly driving its sustainability agenda. Woodlands Dairy partnered with Nampak, their extended shelf life pack suppliers, to bring this innovative pack to market – the first in SA.

Says Marisa Maccaferri, Marketing Manager for Woodlands Dairy and First Choice: “This relaunch is not our first in our sustainability journey. Besides all the initiatives at our mega plant in Humansdorp in the Eastern Cape, we were the first in the country to move to biobased packaging materials on most of our UHT products. The new ESL pack closures are partly made from plastics derived from plant-based material. Plant based or biobased materials are made from renewable resources that can be sustainably planted and harvested, such as sugar cane. Our cartons are also greener and made from more than 80% plant based raw materials, which ensures that the whole pack is now 100% recyclable. We truly believe in reducing our impact on the environment and these new closures and packs will ultimately help us do just that.”

Maccaferri continues: “From a quality perspective we use the Pure-Lac™ Ultra Pasteurisation system to reduce the microbial count beyond normal pasteurisation methods without any chemical treatment, loss of nutrients or compromising on the great milk taste.  Nutrients in milk are sensitive to light, which is why the paperboard carton of our First Choice ESL milk is the ideal way to preserve the goodness of milk. All of these quality measures help us extend the shelf life of our fresh milk to 35 days from date of manufacture.”

According to Maccaferri, consumers are increasingly becoming eco-conscious and demand recyclability, sustainability, and eco-friendliness from the brands they buy. “We can’t agree more! Most plastics still use non-renewable, petroleum-based resources such as oil as a key ingredient, which has a negative impact on the environment. Packs made from renewable materials are the obvious choice as its both eco-friendly and sustainable.”

The new packaging is striking and fresh. The QR code on the back of the pack will also help consumers find their nearest paper recycling bank so that they can do their part for their environment. The rollout of the new packaging will begin in the Eastern Cape, with other provinces following suit.