Think there ain't nothing like the real thing?
The Bite
Not so - at least in the dairy department. Take Silk Soymilk. It looks like milk. It pours like milk. It tastes like milk (although some discriminating Biters prefer the taste of Silk to cow's milk). And you can find it next to the regular milk at your local supermarket. The difference? It could be the soy-lution to a few of the world's problems, due to the natural health benefits of soy and Silk's commitment to going green (like using clean wind energy). Vive la difference!
Company Background
Back in 1977, entrepreneur Steve Demos sold tofu products from a small store in Boulder, CO. After his ice cream and meatless hot dogs brands failed to take off, Demos put all his energy into making soymilk, selling it from dispensers at his store. Thirty years later, Silk's the number-one producer of organic soymilk. And when Ellen Feeney, VP of Responsible Livelihood at WhiteWave Foods (Silk's parent company) tells us, "We take our commitment to the environment seriously," she's not kidding. The company's alternative energy use and green HQs prove it. Eco-initiatives aside, pour some Silk on your cereal, stir it into your coffee, or just sip it as a filling snack, 'cuz this is soy you're gonna enjoy.
Why Care?
- Through Silk's GreenCaps program, it donates 30 kilowatt-hours in offsets for every UPC code customers enter at its website - enough to run a fridge for 13 days. (Plus, these customers are auto-entered for a chance to win a green home makeover.)
- It offsets 100% of the power used in production by supporting clean, renewable wind energy - the equivalent of planting 22,000 acres of trees each year since 2003.
- Silk operates a "Zero Waste" program at HQ, with biodegradable utensils, and full-scale recycling and composting programs.
- All chairs and workstations at HQ are made from at least 40% recycled materials and are at least 95% recyclable.
- The company uses partially recycled shipping materials and reduced the amount of material used on each shipping box.
- 92% of employees participate in the Boulder Community Food Share program's Annual Corporate Giving Challenge, with funds matched by Silk.
- Silk soy is not genetically modified.
Keeping It Real
While Silk's a big supporter of wind power, it has just begun looking at the total carbon footprint of its products, from the farm to your fridge. Says Feeney: "We recently completed an audit to determine the energy used to take Silk to market," which should help the company get closer to carbon neutrality. Also, Silk does not use recycled cartons, but neither do most similar food brands, since "there aren't a lot of FDA-approved options for food-contact packaging."
Starbucks exclusively uses Silk Soymilk at all its coffeeshops.
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