ORLANDO, Fla., July 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Being green is
oh-so refreshing. That was the message today as SeaWorld Parks
& Entertainment™ debuted the first refillable
plastic cup made from plant-based materials. Now
available in all SeaWorld® and Busch Gardens parks
across the U.S., the reusable, 100-percent recyclable plastic cup
is manufactured using proprietary PlantBottle™
packaging technology from the company's beverage partner,
Coca-Cola.
"Working together, our two companies are using our resources and
reach to inspire people to make a difference," said SeaWorld Parks
& Entertainment Corporate Vice President of Culinary Operations
Andrew Ngo. "Our friends at
The Coca-Cola Company share our commitment to conservation, our
passion for the planet, and our innovative approach to consumer
experiences. Even more important, this appeals to our guests,
who expect and reward recycling and sustainability."
PlantBottle packaging swaps traditional plastic resins with
natural sugars found in plants. Fewer fossil-based
ingredients mean a smaller carbon footprint. SeaWorld's switch to
PlantBottle plastic in its refillable cups is expected to remove 35
metric tons of CO2 emissions annually -- the equivalent of saving
more than 80 barrels of oil a year.
The unique PlantBottle technology is popular packaging for
Coca-Cola's bottled beverages. SeaWorld takes this technology to a
new level, creating the first commercially available consumer
product: a refillable plastic cup.
Since The Coca-Cola Company introduced PlantBottle technology in
2009 as the first recyclable PET plastic bottle made partially from
plants, more than 450,000 barrels of oil have been saved.
And, more than 20 billion PlantBottle packages have been
distributed in 31 countries worldwide.
"Once we fully realized the power of PlantBottle technology, we
knew it had real-world, global applications well beyond our own
products," said Scott Vitters,
general manager, PlantBottle packaging platform, The Coca-Cola
Company. "This collaboration with SeaWorld demonstrates that
PlantBottle technology can be applied anywhere that PET plastic is
traditionally used, but with a lighter footprint on the
planet."
Colorful in-park murals and point-of-purchase displays promoting
environmental advocacy will help inform park guests of the new
product.
SeaWorld eventually plans to use Coca-Cola's PlantBottle
technology in the manufacture of many of its souvenir cups and is
actively exploring opportunities for its potential use in the
development of other merchandise.
SeaWorld and Coca-Cola have also partnered on two other
initiatives that promote conservation and sustainability:
- In 2013 SeaWorld introduced the Cup That Cares™ --
a reusable cup with an embedded RFID chip that interacts with
Coca-Cola Freestyle® dispensers in the theme parks and
calculates the amount of carbon guests keep from the environment by
refilling their cups.
- All fountain drinks are served in paper cups made from 85
percent renewable resources. This is a sizeable commitment:
14.6 million paper cups are used each year throughout the company's
11 theme parks.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company
(NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing
consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led
by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable
brands, our Company's portfolio features 17
billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite,
Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply,
Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider
of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and
juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage
distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our
beverages at a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day. With an
enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our
Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental
footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive
work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic
development of the communities where we operate. Together
with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10
private employers with more than 700,000 system associates.
For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at
www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at
twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at
www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at
www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.
About SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
SeaWorld
Parks & Entertainment™ is a leading theme park and
entertainment company delivering personal, interactive and
educational experiences that blend imagination with nature and
enable its customers to celebrate, connect with and care for the
natural world we share. The Company owns or licenses a portfolio of
globally recognized brands including SeaWorld®, Shamu® and
Busch Gardens®. Over its more than 50 year history, the
company has built a diversified portfolio of 11 destination and
regional theme parks across the United
States that hosted more than 23 million guests in 2013. The
company also has recently begun to leverage its brands into media,
entertainment and consumer products.
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is one of the world's
foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal
welfare, training, husbandry and veterinary care. The company
collectively cares for one of the largest animal collections in
North America and has helped lead
advances in the care of animals. The company also rescues and
rehabilitates ocean marine animals that are ill, injured and
orphaned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld
rescue team has helped more than 23,000 animals in need over the
last 50 years.
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is a wholly owned
subsidiary of SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded
company (NYSE: SEAS). Copies of this and other news releases as
well as additional information about SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.
can be obtained online at www.seaworldentertainment.com.
Shareholders and prospective investors can also register to
automatically receive the Company's press releases, SEC filings and
other notices by e-mail.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140710/125931
SOURCE SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment