MEDIA RELEASE – 15 October 2019: Brownes Dairy will replace its existing milk cartons with an Australian first, a carton package made entirely from plant-based, renewable materials in a new sustainable packaging move.

Tetra Rex Bio-based package is the world’s first fully renewable beverage carton, with the protective layers derived from sugar cane.

“There is a lot of emphasis on the importance of recycling, but less of a focus on how we can make products more sustainable from the beginning. Brownes Dairy wanted to improve the sustainability of our packaging across the entire lifecycle of our products,” said Brownes Dairy CEO Tony Girgis.

The bio-based packages offer a more sustainable alternative to the standard milk cartons, reducing the reliance on fossil based polyethylene plastic in the lining.

“Brownes Dairy scoured the planet in search of the best sustainable packaging on the market. Making the switch to a protective layer derived from sugar cane is not only better for the environment, but our consumers can trust the package is made from a renewable source that has a lower carbon impact to climate change,” said Mr Girgis.

Brownes Dairy will switch 25 of its milk carton products to the new sustainable packaging – about 17.8 million milk cartons per year.

“We have done the due diligence on this packaging format to ensure our product quality, freshness and food safety are fully maintained,” said Mr Girgis.

As of today, the Brownes Dairy white milk, cream and CHILL range will all be packaged in a Tetra Rex® Bio-based pack.

“Across the industry we have seen almost all flavoured milk products move to bottles, but Brownes Dairy has made the conscious decision for its CHILL range to remain the ‘King in Cartons’,” said Mr Girgis

Tetra Pak has delivered more than half a billion renewable packs since the bio-based package was first introduced in dairy by Finnish brand Valio in 2015.

Brownes Dairy will be the first company in Australia to integrate the renewable cartons across its entire milk carton range.

“Consumers globally are concerned about protecting the planet, with research showing people of all ages believe businesses should take responsibility for their impact on the environment. At Brownes Dairy, we wanted to support the global movement by looking at packaging across its entire lifecycle, from source to end of life,” said Mr Girgis.

Brownes Dairy is Australia’s oldest, and most innovative, dairy company.