Sustainability: How a Diverse Product Line Helps

What comes to mind when you hear “sustainability”? Recycling. Greenhouse gasses. Conservation. These are some things I think of. But there is another side of sustainability. Think of your kitchen – do you keep it pretty well-stocked? Well, there’s a point to that. If you run out of bananas, you can have an apple.

Sustainability for the Unexpected

We sometimes take America’s natural riches for a given. They are a gift from the land, true. Our great space yields everything we need in plentitude – from almonds to peanuts, oats to rice. Elmhurst® depends on this vast breadbasket like many others. But whereas some brands like to be one thing and one thing only, we keep our ‘cupboard’ full of many different options. For, nothing is invulnerable, and no one knows what the future – even tomorrow – has in store.

We’ve learned this in recent times, as others did before our memory. Almonds for instance have experienced their share of challenges in California, where approximately 80 percent of the world’s crop is grown.1 The harvest was challenged by a four-year drought that ended in 2016. Before that a massive 2006 honeybee die-off stoked farmers’ fears.2 One can point to distant – perhaps even human – causes. But the fact is, no one can control, let alone predict, nature.

So, back to our imaginary Elmhurst cupboard. We have cashew milk. Walnut. Hazelnut. Oat from the reaches of Manitoba, etc. These products are a family and will back one another up in times of need. Trouble in California’s almond country? Well, then we can turn to Georgia, where the peanut farms are. This gives us an alternative non-dairy protein source to keep everyone’s shelves filled.

Sustainability through Diversity

We encourage you to keep your cupboards full, too. Not because of unforeseen circumstances, but because different Elmhurst products do different things. You might keep cashew milk for cooking. Milked Brown Rice™ for cereal. Unsweetened hazelnut for iced coffee. Sure, you can sustain upon just one thing – but why should you when there are so many ways to simpler and better?