Eco-Forward™ Thinking: New Line of Plates and Cups Offer Greener Options to Consumers

Business Wire, Sept 11, 2008

Bare[TM] by Solo[R] products available nationwide

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. -- Yesterday's water bottles and bamboo stalks are today's dinnerware with a new line of "greener" single-use cups and plates from Solo Cup Company. The products are the first to be launched under the Bare[TM] by Solo[R] brand, an eco-forward[TM] line of plates and cups. The Bare line provides a greener alternative from a trusted company in convenience tableware without sacrificing quality or functionality.

Solo today announced the rollout of the first nationally available single-use cups made from 20 percent post-consumer recycled polyethylene (PET) plastic and single-use plates made from bamboo. Solo is the first to commercialize a plastic cup using post-consumer recycled material on a broad scale. PET is the plastic from which water bottles and many other containers are made. The material is collected in curbside recycling programs in a majority of communities. Bamboo is a fast growing, annually-renewable resource that provides superior strength.

"Sustainability is an ongoing priority for Solo and for our consumers," said Steve Jungmann, Solo Cup Company senior vice president of consumer sales and marketing. "Our Bare products deliver environmental benefits with all the performance, strength and style consumers expect. We are committed to providing alternative choices in convenience tableware while reducing our own footprint on the world's environment."

Bare by Solo also is teaming up with Keep America Beautiful[R] to support educating consumers about litter prevention, waste reduction and recycling, and community beautification. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful combines education with hands-on stewardship to make America's communities cleaner, greener, safer and more livable.

"We want consumers to have the option to use more environmentally sensitive products whenever they can," said Matthew McKenna, Keep America Beautiful president. "By creating products from recycled and renewable materials, Solo is making it easier for people to maintain their desired lifestyles in a way that is better for the planet."

The Bare product line currently offers the following eco-forward products:

* Bare[TM] 24-Packs of 18 oz. Cups: Strong and clear, Bare cups display the same quality consumers have come to expect from Solo's conventional clear cups.

* Bare[TM] 10-inch Pulp Molded Bamboo Plate in 15-Packs: These dinner plates are cut-resistant, microwave-safe and extra strong. Bare plates are tough and versatile enough for every day use.

Bare products are available at Target stores and other retailers. To find the nearest retailer of Bare products, consumers can visit www.barebysolo.com.

"Eco-forward" is a term unique to Solo. It expresses the company's ongoing commitment to developing greener alternatives in an effort to contribute to a more environmentally sustainable future, said Jungmann.

Solo Cup Company is a $2.1 billion company exclusively focused on the manufacture of single-use products used to serve food and beverages for the consumer/retail, foodservice and international markets. Solo has broad expertise in paper, plastic and foam disposables and creates brand name products under the Solo and Sweetheart names. The Company was established in 1936 and has a global presence with facilities in Canada, Europe, Mexico, Panama and the United States. To learn more about the Company, visit www.solocup.com.

Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful combines education with hands-on stewardship to make America's communities cleaner, greener, safer, and more livable. The organization offers sustainable solutions that improve the physical and visual aspects of communities by focusing on issues of litter prevention, waste reduction/recycling, and community beautification. Through its network of nearly 1,000 affiliates and participating organizations, including 21 statewide organizations, Keep America Beautiful leads the way in protecting and enhancing local environments in more than 15,000 communities. For information, visit www.kab.org.