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.
90 Second Rice pouches and the Rice Chip bags are not recyclable.
What is rePurpose?
rePurpose is the leading Packaging Sustainability & Compliance platform for consumer companies. As pioneers of verified plastic recovery, rePurpose helps create real environmental impact by recovering plastic waste from nature, protecting ecosystems, and supporting waste workers around the world.
What does rePurpose do?
rePurpose partners with waste management organizations to recover plastic from the environment in hotspot pollution areas across seven countries. The types of plastic recovered are often difficult to recycle and low- or no-value, which is why they end up in landfills and waterways. For example, in some locations, rePurpose collects plastic from the environment, aggregates it, and processes it at material recovery facilities to sell to recyclers to turn into plastic pellets or film. In other locations, rePurpose goes door to door to intercept plastic before it ends up in the environment.
Why are you partnering with them?
Plastic is hard to avoid, especially for food companies, where safety comes first. But plastic pollution is a global problem that goes far beyond food packaging. That’s why we’re tackling it head-on by supporting real solutions to global waste through rePurpose. The best part? Customers and consumers don’t have to do anything to help us make a difference.
Why do you have plastic packaging?
Plastic is an incredibly durable, affordable, and lightweight material that helps ensure product quality, reduce waste (as a result of improved shelf life), and reduce carbon footprints in transportation compared to glass or metal.
Our resealable, stand-up pouch makes our rice easy to use and store—and most importantly, keeps it fresh and safe. While we’re always looking for better options, plastic packaging helps our Regenerative Organic Certified® rice reach more people, which supports more acres of regenerative organic farming. Plus, peer-reviewed research shows that packaging usually makes up less than 10% of a food product’s total environmental impact. This means our biggest impact comes from how we grow our rice and preventing food waste.
Still, we know plastic pollution is a global problem. That’s why we’re taking action today! Partnering with rePurpose empowers us to create an immediate impact on the plastic waste crisis while we work towards our long-term sustainability goals.
Are you funding the recovery of more plastic than you produce?
Not yet. Our plastic footprint far outweighs the plastic we are helping to recover through rePurpose, and we’re not pretending otherwise. As we work toward reducing plastic at the source, we’ve chosen to partner with rePurpose as a way to take responsibility now, rather than waiting for a perfect solution while plastic pollution continues to grow. It’s a small contribution to a massive problem—but it’s a start.
What organizations are you working with to reduce climate impacts?
Lundberg Family Farms is committed to supporting organizations that help protect and improve our planet for generations to come. We’re actively engaged in more than 15 organizations that support organic farming, water conservation, and environmental stewardship and these collaborations are highlighted in our annual Sustainability Report.
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 offsets 100% of electricity used at our HQ and Manufacturing Facility in Richvale, CA through renewable energy certificates (RECs) and onsite solar. In 2023 Lundberg celebrated 20 years of 100% renewable energy!
Let's talk about water!
Our fields are nourished by water from the snow melt of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range which flows naturally to the fertile Sacramento Valley by way of the Feather River. We use this water to grow rice AND support wildlife. Our region’s heavy adobe clay soil holds water like a bathtub, which means water sits on top of the soil instead of sinking into it. We even return some of the water to rivers and streams, where zooplankton from the fields nourish endangered salmon populations.
We call it Fish Food on Floodplain Farm Feilds - say that five times fast!
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.