EarthGrains® Brand Invites Consumers to Join the “Plot to Save the Earth” as It Introduces New Environmentally Friendly Wheat Bread

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--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.

“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.”

“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.