The past year has seen The Coca-Cola South Africa’s, Valpré Spring Water go from strength to strength in terms of empowerment, sustainability and quality. Here are a few highlights from 2011 – 2012.
May 2011:
Valpré Spring Water was awarded the “Gold Quality” label at the International Monde Selection Quality Awards in the spring water section. Valpré is a founding member of the South African National Bottled Water Association (SANBWA) and is also South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) approved. As well as it’s high quality, Valpré’s low mineral content makes it the ideal accompaniment to whisky.
July 2011:
The Heidelberg Valpré Plant opened. This bottling plant is now in the process of receiving Leadership in Energy and Environmental (LEED) approval, an internationally recognized benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings, while the administration block has already been presented with a LEED Gold Award. The design of the facility maximizes recycled materials and makes optimal use of water and solar energy. The Heidelberg Plant has a “zero landfill” target.
July-August 2011:
PlantBottle hits the shelves in South Africa, making South Africa one of the nine Coca-Cola markets worldwide to launch PlantBottle. Valpré is the only beverage in South Africa which uses PlantBottle packaging, PlantBottle is the only plastic bottle which is made from up to 30% plant material and that is 100% recyclable and able to meet the stringent quality standards of The Coca-Cola Company. PlantBottle is trading non-renewable fossil fuels for plant-based material without sacrificing performance or recyclability.
October-November 2011:
National Geographic aired Valpré documentaries highlighting the company’s green credentials, from it’s lighter carbon footprint due to the plant moving closer to their target market, the launch of PlantBottle and the Heidelberg plant itself bringing eco architecture to the next level. The documentaries can be viewed here.
January 2012:
A newly designed 330ml Valpré spring water bottle, tailor-made for the airline industry, wins Coca-Cola South Africa (CCSA) business with South African Airways (SAA).
CCSA is to supply SAA with its premium spring water brand, Valpré for the next 3 years.
Bill Egbe, president of Coca-Cola South Africa said, “When building the new Valpré plant in Heidelberg, we specifically included the 330ml package in our mould portfolio in anticipation of the needs of the airline industry. Valpré is a truly South African brand and we are excited that SAA, a national carrier, has chosen Coca-Cola in this important and strategic partnership.”
Theunis Potgieter, GM Commercial of SAA said, “We always strive to offer our customers premium products and look forward to serving Valpré spring water on board all our flights. I have no doubt that its natural qualities, green packaging and South African heritage will enhance the great experience of flying SAA. ”
As of January 2012, SAA will serve Valpré water with meals and snacks in all domestic and international flights and at all SAA lounges in all airports globally.
As a company, Valpré has taken some significant steps over the last year to greening the way they do business, as well as empowering the South African workforce and becoming a leader in sustainable packaging in the local market.
Live Eco looks forward to keeping an eye on the Valpré brand in 2013 and seeing what new eco initiatives they have in store for us.
