Earthly matters

Annie Chun’s Uses a Fully Biodegradable Bowl

Annie Chun’s, Inc. is a Northern California-based leading producer of all natural, gourmet Pan-Asian foods.

They were honored in 2004 with an Environmental Achievement Award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Their FreshPak? Noodle meals, packaged in a fully biodegradable bowl made primarily from cornstarch, captured the agency’s attention and garnered the award. Annie Chun’s is the first company to use this earth-friendly packaging in a retail product. Both the bowl and lid decompose into the soil with no harm to the earth.

“Considering the recent report on the tenuous condition of the earth’s oceans and fragile eco-systems, we are gratified to be one of a growing number of company’s devoted to treading gently upon the planet. We are thrilled with this recognition and are committed to providing consumers with options such as our biodegradable bowls when purchasing a prepared food product – a category often laden with plastics that are not even recyclable,” said company founder Annie Chun.

“We want consumers to know they have a choice and can still purchase a convenience food without comprising their commitment to creating less landfill,” added Steve Broad, President and co-founder of Annie Chun’s, Inc.

In conjunction with the introduction of the new bowls, Annie Chun’s has launched a unique web site, www.1bowl.org, promoting the message of “Saving the Earth One Bowl at a Time.” This web site serves as a contribution site whereby people can make micro-payments to help support the United Nations World Food Program’s hunger relief efforts and also learn about environmental conservation and recycling.

Annie Chun’s, Inc. celebrated its 15th Anniversary this year. Annie Chun first began selling her sauces at the Marin County Farmers’ Market where she served samples with fresh market vegetables. Annie Chun’s All Natural sauces, noodles, meal kits and soups are available nationwide in gourmet, natural and mass market grocers such as Food Emporium, Whole Foods, King’s, Mollie Stone’s, Fred Meyer/Kroger’s, Fairway Market, Fresh Fields, Bread and Circus, Super Targets, and many others coast to coast.