In food and beverage, packaging has historically shaped the sustainability narrative. Compostable and recycled options served as visible ESG markers, despite offering only limited impact. The evidence is undeniable: ingredients themselves, not the packaging, determine the greatest environmental outcomes.
Unwrapping the Truth: Ingredients Matter More
On Earth Day 2024, COMET released a life cycle analysis (LCA) conducted by Planet FWD to quantify the environmental impact of Arrabina® in comparison to chicory root-based inulin and other common dietary fibers. The results underscore just how powerful ingredient choices can be:
Arrabina exhibits a 23 times lower carbon footprint compared to Beta-Glucan and 5 times lower than inulin.
Further results demonstrate that replacing chicory root inulin for Arrabina in a cereal bar formulation markedly reduces the product’s carbon footprint. On the contrary, the use of recycled packaging alone did not show a difference in environmental footprint for the prebiotic bar, suggesting that the ingredient’s impact is more significant than the packaging in this context.
Packaging tweaks can only go so far, but reformulating with sustainable ingredients delivers real, verifiable carbon reductions.
Meeting Consumer Expectations for Transparency
Because claims alone aren’t enough, shoppers increasingly look for independent proof. SPINS reports that nearly three in four values-oriented shoppers say seals and certifications influence their purchases.
That’s why at COMET, we secured both independent LCA validation and Upcycled Certified™ status. Together, these credentials deliver credible metrics brands need to share their sustainability story with confidence.
Our CEO, Loula Merkel, explains:
“We’ve substantiated that Arrabina has many health and wellness benefits for our customers, and now this LCA validates the benefits to the planet’s health. These
metrics are important, especially for consumers looking for transparency.”
Innovation That Scales with the Planet
Arrabina represents a new era of sustainable nutrition: backed by science, designed for functionality, and meets the needs of our growing planet. By upcycling underutilized wheat crop leftovers into high-quality prebiotic fibers, we are helping brands meet their carbon goals while formulating products that resonate with today’s environmentally conscious shoppers.
Building the Future of Sustainable Food
Shifting the sustainability conversation to ingredients is only the first step. What truly matters is how those choices ripple across supply chains and consumer lives. Lower-impact ingredients reduce agricultural emissions, conserve water, and minimize waste before a package is ever filled. For CPG brands, that means every formulation decision is a chance to build resilience, cut costs, and differentiate on shelf in a way packaging alone never could.
By embedding sustainability into the very core of product design, brands move past surface-level claims and into measurable change. The companies that recognize this will not only meet rising consumer expectations—they’ll help shape a food system built to last.
Ready to lower your product’s carbon footprint with a more sustainable prebiotic fiber? Request a sample of Arrabina here!