EarthShell® Corporation (Nasdaq: ERTH)
announced significant news today that it has been given the “go-ahead” by McDonald’s
Corporation to supply all 465 Chicago area McDonald’s restaurants with the new EarthShell
Packaging container for the Big Mac® sandwich. Designed with the environment in mind, the
limestone-and-starch based packaging has been used continuously to serve more than 10 million
Big Mac sandwiches since its introduction in over 100 McDonald’s restaurants last year. Today’s
announced product expansion for EarthShell Packaging containers will occur as part of a normal
course of business with our customer’s system. West Coast expansion is expected to occur this
Fall.
“We are pleased to report today’s good news and believe it is an excellent reflection of McDonald’s
confidence in EarthShell Packaging,” said Simon K. Hodson, chief executive officer of EarthShell
Corporation. “While earlier plans called for expansion to 300 Chicago area stores, we are
continuing to build momentum as we announce our plans to move to nearly 500 McDonald’s
restaurants.”
As recently announced, McDonald’s approved the product design of the new container, which
includes a new double-tab closure mechanism and an improved coating. Reports by McDonald’s
restaurants currently using the redesigned, compostable package indicate that it performs
extremely well and meets all requirements for both store operations and customer expectations,
which are the primary qualifications for expansion.
The EarthShell container for the Big Mac sandwich was designed with the environment in mind. It
was developed over many years using a Life Cycle Inventory and in consultation with leading
environmental experts to reduce the environmental burdens of rigid sandwich packaging through
the careful selection of raw materials, processes and suppliers. The containers are made from
reclaimed potato starch, natural limestone and post-consumer recycled fiber (which does not
require the cutting of trees), biodegradable polymer and wax coatings, and water. This new
packaging substantially reduces risk to wildlife compared to polystyrene foam sandwich
containers because it biodegrades when exposed to moisture in nature, physically disintegrates in
water when crushed or broken and can be composted in a commercial facility, where available, or
in your backyard.
EarthShell Corporation is engaged in the licensing and commercialization of proprietary
composite material technology for the manufacture of disposable foodservice packaging, including
cups, plates, bowls, hinged-lid containers, and sandwich wraps. EarthShell Packaging is
designed to be cost and performance competitive compared to other foodservice packaging
materials, and also to provide important environmental advantages.
For more information, please visit the EarthShell web site at http://www.earthshell.com .
