DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. – EarthGrains brand today announced that its 100% whole
grain, 100% natural line of wide pan breads will now include Eco-Grain wheat in
its ingredients. Eco-Grain wheat is grown using innovative farming techniques
that benefit the environment because they promote more sustainable agricultural
practices. EarthGrains brand is the first to work in partnership with Horizon
Milling to bring a product to market that includes Eco-Grain wheat. To support
the product introduction, the brand is launching the Plot to Save the Earth, One
Field at a Time marketing campaign and inviting the public to join the movement
to benefit the environment.
EarthGrains bread made with Eco-Grain wheat gives consumers the added knowledge
that they are helping the environment with every loaf they purchase, in addition
to the great taste and nutrition they expect, said Tim Zimmer, vice president,
Sara Lee North American Fresh Bakery. As part of our movement to help the
environment, we’re educating consumers about how to take other small steps to
make a positive impact, including supporting the use of innovative agricultural
practices.
Eco-Grain wheat makes up 20 percent of the whole grains in EarthGrains’ brand
wide-pan bread, but the brand will expand its use to EarthGrains Thin Buns later
this year.
Moving forward, the brand will look to increase the percentage of Eco-Grain
wheat in its products.
The Plot to Save the Earth Marketing Campaign
To educate consumers about EarthGrains bread made with Eco-Grain wheat, the
brand launched a 360-degree fully integrated consumer marketing program dubbed
the Plot to Save the Earth, One Field at a Time campaign. The campaign tells a
compelling story about the positive effect that Eco-Grain wheat has on the
environment: It starts with a handful of family farmers who grow Eco-Grain wheat
in their fields, which is bought by consumers in EarthGrains bread and creates
more demand for Eco-Grain wheat. The campaign includes print, TV, radio and
digital advertising, public relations, social media, as well as point-of-sale
materials that take a whimsical approach to catch consumers’ eyes with tag lines
like, How your turkey sandwich can help preserve the earth. The campaign was
created by Ogilvy & Mather.
EarthGrains’ Web site (www.EarthGrains.com) is re-launching today and acts as
the focal point of the campaign. The site includes an interactive tool that lets
consumers see their direct impact on the environment with every loaf of bread
they purchase, such as the amount of reduced fertilizer and acres of farmland
saved. There is also information about EarthGrains brand products, how Eco-Grain
wheat is grown, as well as opportunities to download coupons and get a free
reusable shopping bag.
To show consumers how they can more actively engage with the movement, the brand
is turning to social media. A new Facebook fan page is launching (www.Facebook.com/EarthGrains)
and for every fan, the brand will set aside $1 (up to $15,000) towards farmer
outreach in order to meet the demand for Eco-Grain wheat. The brand is also
building a Twitter following (www.Twitter.com/EarthGrains). Fans and followers
will have opportunities to share their personal plots to save the planet and get
downloadable coupons.
Growing Eco-Grain Wheat to Benefit the Environment
The EarthGrains brand partnered with Horizon Milling, a Cargill affiliate and a
leader in the flour milling industry, to bring EarthGrains bread with Eco-Grain
wheat to life as the brand looked for a more environmentally-conscious
ingredient.
Horizon Milling worked closely with a small group of family farmers in Idaho to
help them grow Eco-Grain wheat using an innovative technology called variable
rate application also known as precision agriculture. This technology uses a
combination of satellite imagery and soil samples to identify the best use of
fertilizer on the farmer’s field. Using this data, the farmer can apply
nutrients to the crop with great precision and only where it’s needed. Studies
show the farmer needs less fertilizer, uses less energy and reduces emissions
while increasing the amount of wheat grown on the land.
Idaho farmer Matt Mickelsen grew one of the first crops of Eco-Grain wheat. He
found he was able to reduce his nitrogen fertilizer use by approximately 15
percent per acre in his field a savings that benefits both the farmer and the
environment.
Horizon Milling’s role is about linking the supply chain from the farmer to the
bakery all the way to the end consumer, said Dan Dye, president, Horizon
Milling. We partner with farmers to help them grow Eco-Grain wheat using
innovative technology, we mill the wheat they grow into flour, and we deliver
the finished ingredient to EarthGrains’ bakeries. Throughout the entire process,
we preserve the wheat’s identity so the consumer can have a direct impact on how
the wheat is grown. We’re proud to collaborate with the EarthGrains brand to
help them deliver a wholesome, environmentally-conscious product to the
marketplace.
Mickelsen’s philosophy of using innovative farming practices to benefit his
family’s land and business made him an ideal partner for the EarthGrains brand.
Consumers can meet Mickelsen on www.EarthGrains.com. He will also be working
with the brand to co-author a new blog that highlights his farming philosophy,
his experience growing Eco-Grain wheat and the benefits he’s seen on his land at
www.idahowheatfarmer.wordpress.com.
EarthGrains bread made with Eco-Grain wheat contains 19 grams of whole grain in
every slice. The suggested retail price is $2.49 to $4.09 depending on the
region of the country. For markets where EarthGrains bread is sold, visit
www.EarthGrains.com.
About EarthGrains Bread
The EarthGrains brand is synonymous with whole grain nutrition and taste through
its line of 100% Natural 100% Whole Grain Breads that contain no artificial
colors, artificial flavors or chemical preservatives. Now made with 20%
Eco-Grain wheat that is grown using more innovative farming practices that
benefit the environment, varieties include: 100% Whole Wheat, 7-Grain, Wheat
Berry with Honey, Multi-Grain, Oat and Double-Fiber Whole Wheat. In 2009, the
EarthGrains brand partnered with The Nature Conservancy to help the protection
of lands and waters. For further information visit www.EarthGrains.com. Photos,
video, fact sheets and other details are available for download via a social
media news release:
http://akamediainc.com/SMNR/earthgrains_plot_to_save_the_earth_1033.html
About Horizon Milling, LLC
A leading U.S. flour miller, Horizon Milling, LLC is a joint venture between
Cargill, Incorporated and CHS Inc. (www.chsinc.com). Horizon Milling combines
the expertise of a global food ingredients manufacturer with the supply
assurance capabilities of a national, farmer-owned cooperative to provide
customers with innovative, flour-related product and service solutions. For more
information, visit
www.horizonmilling.com.
Source:
EarthGrains