White Wave Invests in Wind to Fuel Soy Manufacturing
Maker of Silk® is the Largest American Company to Purchase Wind Power Credits For 100% Of Manufacturing, Operations
TOFUTOWN (BOULDER, CO) — February 25, 2003 — Seven years ago, White Wave set out to change the way Americans consumed soy. Now, the Boulder, Colo.-based maker of Silk® soymilk is leading a change in the way America chooses power.
White Wave, the country's largest soyfoods manufacturer, today announced that it will replace the electrical power used in all of its operations with clean, sustainable and renewable wind energy. White Wave is the largest U.S. company to replace all of the power it uses in manufacturing and operations with wind power.
Beginning in Jan. 2003, White Wave initiated its wind energy support program by purchasing 20 million kilowatt hours of green tags, the industry term for wind power credits. White Wave purchased the green tags for 2003 from two renewable energy suppliers: Renewable Choice Energy and Bonneville Environmental Foundation. The purchase means the energy White Wave draws from the nation's power grid will be replaced by wind energy, thus increasing the quantity of clean energy available for every electricity user in the United States.
"Conventional electricity generation is the nation's single largest industrial source of air pollution," says Kurt Johnson, director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Green Power Partnership. "White Wave is the largest U.S. company to purchase 100 percent new wind power for all of its operations, providing an outstanding example of environmental leadership."
While the nation's power grid is fueled with many different types of energy, coal, gas and nuclear energy are the primary sources. Currently, less than two percent of the energy offered to electricity users comes from "renewable sources" such as wind or solar power, according to the EPA.
White Wave's substantial purchase of green tags will result in an increased percentage of wind power in the national grid and a corresponding reduction in non-renewable, polluting sources. According to the EPA, White Wave's purchase of wind power will save approximately 32 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year — equivalent to taking 3,200 cars off the road.
"White Wave has always been committed to socially responsible and environmentally sustainable business practices," says Steve Demos, company founder and president. "We have previously demonstrated this through our 25-year devotion to the processing of non-genetically modified, organically raised soybeans. Today our announcement to purchase wind energy is another legitimate step in creating a business model that is both profitable and environmentally sound."
The wind energy purchased by White Wave will be supplied by wind farms throughout the U.S., beginning with Wyoming, Oregon, Washington, Iowa and Texas. The supply will account for all of the power used to manufacture Silk and other White Wave branded products. While White Wave management estimates this commitment will increase its expenses by several hundred thousand dollars per year, prices for the company's soy products will not increase as a result of this initiative.
"We believe this initiative is a partial fulfillment of our corporate responsibility to return to the marketplace a portion of the profits we derive to meaningful and environmentally sustainable business practices. We are delighted to do so without economic impact to the consumer," Demos said.
White Wave is also encouraging its consumers to purchase wind energy. Consumers can visit www.SilkIsSoy.com to learn more about wind energy and sign up to purchase wind energy credits for home use. White Wave is providing wind energy information to consumers as a public service and has no financial connection to any wind energy sign-up initiative.
About White Wave
White Wave, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Dean Foods (NYSE: DF), was established in Boulder, Co. in 1977. In 1996, White Wave introduced Silk, America's first refrigerated soymilk. Today, Silk is the number one selling organic consumer packaged goods brand in the nation. White Wave's product offerings include Silk Soymilk, Sun Soy® soymilk and a variety of other soy-based products such as White Wave Tempeh, Seitan, Baked Tofu and Silk Cultured Soy yogurt.
For more information about Renewable Choice Energy visit www.renewablechoice.com
For more information about Bonneville Environmental Foundation visit www.GreenTagsUSA.org
White Wave Contact: Vicky Melen (612) 375-8541
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