Sustainability – Lundberg Family Farms

How does sustainability factor into your business practices?

Lundberg Family Farms was founded on the belief of “leaving the land better than you found it.” This belief originated on the farm and helped us become a leader in organic farming. Over time, this belief has been integrated into all operations, from growing rice to producing products. Sustainability is written into every job description, and it is part of everyday work on the farm and in our facilities.

As we grow and expand, we will continue to implement energy conservation and renewable energy, waste reduction and resource efficiency, safe and fair working conditions, along with many other practices that are environmentally and socially responsible.

How do I recycle Lundberg Family Farms packaging?

8-ounce, 1-pound, and 2-pound rice bags are made of #7 plastic and you can use Earth 911 to find a recycling option near you. Other uses: reuse the re-sealable pouch for bulk rice, beans, or for packing carrots in your lunch!

12-pound rice bags are made of #4 plastic and can be recycled at participating retail stores, like Target, Whole Foods, Safeway or use Earth 911 to find a recycling option near you.

25-pound rice bags are made if recyclable paper and can be recycled through curbside recycling. Other uses: use it as a fire starter, cut it open to make a nice drawing canvas, or use to line your kitty litter pan.

Rice Cake bags are made of #4 plastic and can be recycled at participating retail stores, like Target, Whole Foods, Safeway or use Earth 911 to find a recycling option near you.

Risotto and Rice & Seasoning Mixes' outside box is made of cardboard and is fully recyclable. The spice pouch and the rice pouch are not recyclable.

Rice Syrup jar is made of glass and can be recycled through curbside recycling. Other uses: wash out and re-use for food or good storage.

Heat & Eat Bowls are made of #7 plastic and you can use Earth 911 to find a recycling option near you.Other uses: Wash out the bowl and re-use for taking on a picnic, backpacking, or fill with beer and place in your garden to catch slugs! The plastic closure film is not recyclable.

Ready to Heat Rice pouches and the Rice Chip bags are not recyclable.

How can I reduced my consumption of Lundberg Family Farms packaging?

Purchasing in bulk has big impact on overall packaging waste. Lundberg products are offered in bulk bins at Whole Foods and in bulk bags at Costco. We are also often stocked at local Co-ops and Natural Food stores.

Lundberg Family Farms is also a member of the Bulk Grain Council which works to promote the availability of products in bulk; shipping larger quantities in bulk to stores where consumers can use reusable containers to purchase smaller quantities. We are actively working to get our bulk rice into stores near you.

Why do you have plastic packaging?

Lundberg uses single-use plastic packaging and we would love to have an alternative that would minimize weight for shipping, while providing a protective environment for the product itself so that it doesn’t spoil before you are able to consume it. Finding an alternative to plastic is a challenge for the entire food industry, and we are collaborating with other food manufacturers to find reliable alternatives. (see question below for details on organizations we are working with).

While we are working to find solutions, we wanted to shed light on our current packaging. More than ten years ago we did a collaborative research project with the local university and a major software company. Using our short grain brown rice in a two-pound package, we were able to begin understanding the carbon footprint of our products. What we discovered is now broadly understood throughout the food industry: about 75% of the carbon footprint of food products is generated in the production of the product from field to the point of packaging; around 12% of the footprint can be attributed to packaging. What this helped us to understand and put into perspective was that it is very important to protect our carbon “investment” through choosing appropriate packaging. If we choose an inferior packaging material—one that breaks or allows insects or doesn’t keep out moisture—we cannot deliver products safely to our consumers. Inferior packaging would cause us to waste a tremendous amount of resources, for nothing. Lundberg understands the need to find ways to lessen the impact on the planet and will continue to use the best options available.

Meanwhile, we’re thrilled to announce our partnership with TerraCycle. With their help, all of our flexible packaging will be fully recyclable so it can skip the landfill for a second life as durable plastic goods!

Why are your shipping materials not recyclable or more sustainable?

At this time, we are using plastic air pillows but are planning to change to a more sustainable air pillow that are How2Recycle qualified (you can take them to store drop-off locations) and are made of 95% recycled materials (55% PCR and 40% post-industrially recycled materials). This change should happen in last 2025.

What organizations are you working with to reduce climate impacts?

We are primarily working with three organizations: The Sustainable Food Trade Association (SFTA), One Step Closer to an Organic and Sustainable Community (OSC²), and the Climate Collaborative (CC).

Lundberg Family Farms has been very involved with the SFTA since its creation in 2008. This association is working to build the capacity of the organic food trade to transition to a sustainable business models. We have committed to improve our performance in 11-action categories and report results annually through our Sustainability Report.

OSC² was formed in 2012 to bring a community of sustainable leaders and mission-driven companies together. We have been working with this organization to tackle the challenge of flexible packaging. Since the first Packaging Collaborative meeting in 2013, Lundberg Family Farms has been actively engaged in finding solutions that are compostable, renewable, and recyclable.

Lastly, the CC’s overall vision is to leverage the power of the natural products industry to reverse climate change. Lundberg Family Farms has been working with the Climate Collaborative since is began in 2017. We have pledged to take action in all nine climate initiatives and are excited to be working with other committed companies to make a difference.

As part of our commitment to act, we are members of The Rooted Community Action Group. This group is facilitated by the Climate Collaborative and the Sustainable Food Lab. It is open to all companies that have made an agriculture commitment. This group meets monthly to discuss a range of topics relevant to carbon farming.

What sustainable certifications do you have?

Lundberg Family Farms has been a TRUE Zero Waste Certified facility since 2016 and diverts 99.6% of our waste from landfill.

How much renewable energy does Lundberg Family Farms use?

Lundberg is committed to renewable energy. In Richvale, Lundberg offsets 100% of electricity used onsite with renewable energy through renewable energy certificates (RECs) and self-generation (onsite solar).

In 2003, Lundberg began purchasing Green-e certified RECs to offset all electricity consumed at our Manufacturing Facility. We celebrated 15 years of 100% renewable energy in 2018. Today, we continue to purchase certificates that support offsite wind projects in the United States.

In 2005, Lundberg installed its first self-generation system; a ground mounted solar array. Since then the company has grown onsite solar to include six separate arrays. The last array was commissioned in 2019. This expansion increased onsite generation by more than 250% and increased our annual offset of energy use to 25%, up from 10%!

Does Lundberg offer sustainability tours?

At Lundberg we offer a variety of tour opportunities! For local schools and organizations, we provide educational tours around our main office. These tours include videos, rice snacks and an interactive display of rice in its many stages. Please contact our front desk to set up a time to visit our facility.