Footprint Tackles Every Aisle with Sustainable Supermarket Solutions

GILBERT, Ariz. --Footprint, a global materials science technology company focused on creating a healthy planet, today announced the launch of a customized and tested portfolio of solutions for supermarkets designed to replace single-use plastics and foam, building on plant-based fiber solutions the company currently provides to individual food producers.

“Footprint is already delivering new materials for frozen food, ready-to-eat, dairy, meat and produce suppliers to replace plastic before products get to the supermarket,” Footprint Senior Vice President of Sales Jeff Bassett said. “To accelerate the transition, we’ve created a set of offerings for supermarkets to use with their own private-brand products, or to support in-store packaging and eliminate legacy plastic. We believe Footprint is best positioned to replace legacy plastic with plant-based solutions in every aisle of the supermarket.”

Historically, no good alternatives existed for plastic or foam meat trays, deli foods, microwaveable meals and shelf-stable containers, that could also withstand rigorous performance requirements of supermarkets such as resistance to humidity, hot/cold environments, oil and grease resistance, automated de-nesting and microwaving.

Several of these solutions were developed and tested by working with global consumer brands and are available in stores today. They are also being offered at scale to supermarkets directly.

“Our partnership with Footprint has helped us to expand our offerings of bio-based packaging options that support our commitment to reduce plastic waste,” said Chad Coester, Senior Vice President of Own Brands of Albertsons Companies. “These innovative materials will help us work toward our Plastics and Packaging Pledge goals to have 100% of our Own Brands product packaging be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.”

Other items, like mushroom or berry containers and produce trays are also part of the supermarket line typically brought into stores by third party suppliers.

“Working in coordination with some of our key partners, we were able to trial Footprint’s plant-based fiber trays for our corn offerings and ultimately replace foam trays at select retail locations,” said Katie Veenstra, Director of Marketing of GloriAnn Farms. “Footprint helped us develop a tray that performs as well as foam while meeting our, and our retail customers’ sustainability goals.”

Based on the west coast, GloriAnn Farms is one of the nation’s leading value-added sweet corn suppliers, shipping their corn products both domestically and internationally.

Research shows that consumers are increasingly aware of the health and environmental detriments of plastic, with 84% of people surveyed saying they select products with less single-use plastic packaging (1). Another survey noted that 88% of people feel that brands have a responsibility to take care of the planet and its people (2).This has become more apparent through the COVID-19 pandemic as there has been a spike in plastic use and eating at home which has contributed to hyper-sensitivity around the abundance of disposable food containers and what they’re made of (2).

To learn more about Footprint's plastic-free alternatives, visit www.FootprintUS.com.

About Footprint

Footprint has a clear vision to create a healthier planet and healthier people. Phase one of our mission is to provide solutions that eliminate single-use and short-term use plastics in our food chain. Footprint’s team of engineers use plant-based fiber technology to design, develop and manufacture biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable products that compete with plastic’s cost, and performance. Footprint is rapidly expanding into new categories with customized and patented solutions for customers. Footprint’s products have already led to a global redirection of 61 million pounds of plastic waste from entering the air, earth, and water working with leading global consumer brands.

In December 2021, Footprint announced its intention to list on NASDAQ as a public company in a business combination agreement with Gores Holdings VIII, Inc. (Nasdaq: GIIX, GIIXW and GIIXU). Full information on this definitive agreement can be found here.

Footprint was founded in by former Intel engineers, Troy Swope and Yoke Chung. The company employs more than 2,500 employees, with operations in the U.S., Mexicali, Europe, and Asia. Footprint was named to the 2020 Fortune “Change the World” list in 2020, is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Innovators Community, was named a CNBC Disruptor 50 company and Newsweek’s America’s Greatest Disruptors/Planet Protectors in 2021.

About Gores Holdings VIII, Inc.

Gores Holdings VIII, Inc. (Nasdaq: GIIXU) is a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by an affiliate of The Gores Group, LLC, founded by Alec Gores. Gores Holdings VIII, Inc. completed its initial public offering in March 2021, raising approximately $345 million in cash proceeds for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. Gores Holdings VIII, Inc.’s strategy is to identify, acquire and, after the initial business combination, to build a company in an industry or sector that complements the experience of its management team and can benefit from their operational expertise.

1) BCG Survey on COVID-19 and Environment, conducted May 20–29, 2020, in Brazil, China, France, India, Indonesia, South Africa, the UK, and the US.

2) Regeneration Rising: Sustainable Future report, conducted February 2021, in U.S., U.K., and China