Insight on Business

24 | I NSIGH T • A p r i l 2 0 2 1 w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m 24 | I NSIGH T • A p r i l 2 0 2 1 w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m products aren't going away, Romjue says the company is also focused on anticipating changing wants and needs and adapting to them. Acquiring Indiana-based Aardvark in 2018 was part of that strategy. ough the paper straw market still makes up only about 10 percent of the overall market, Aardvark holds about a 50 percent share of the paper straw market. Since acquiring the product line, Hoffmaster has been working on making a stronger, better straw. "It's great if you say, 'is is a sustainable alternative,' but if it doesn't work, then obviously the end consumer will rebel against it," Romjue says. It didn't help that when paper straws first launched, hundreds of manufacturers from all over the world began making them and many of them didn't hold up, thus marring the reputation of the entire concept. hen disruption arises, businesses can choose to either adapt and advance or fight change. Whether the challenge stems from changing consumer sentiment toward disposable products or a pandemic wreaking havoc in the service industry, Hoffmaster Group in Oshkosh has chosen to meet it and create new solutions. In the case of the former, Hoffmaster Foodservice and Creative Converting President Andy Romjue says the company has watched a global movement build in recent years. "All around us, you start seeing countries and governments moving away from single-use plastics," he says. Hoffmaster, a maker of premium tabletop products, has chosen to be part of the solution, including acquiring Aardvark, a producer of paper straws, and continuing to develop more sustainable alternatives such as wooden cutlery and tree-free product lines. "We just have to do better as a society on providing options that are less damaging to the earth moving forward, and I think Hoffmaster's definitely going to be at the forefront of that on the foodservice and consumer disposable sides," Romjue says. Similarly, as the service industry, one of Hoffmaster's two primary areas of focus, has struggled throughout the pandemic, the manufacturer has adapted to keep its own business going while also helping restaurants, bars and hotels serve their customers in new and safer ways. Leading that effort was the October launch of the company's Bio- Shield antimicrobial product line, an applied technology that stops the growth of bacteria and fungi on contact. "Like other businesses across Wisconsin and the U.S., the pandemic has brought challenges and uncertainties to the table," says Hoffmaster President and CEO Rory Leyden. "Over the past year, we've dug deep into the needs of our customers and employees, resulting in positive changes." ECO EVOLUTION n recent years, the drumbeat against single-use plastic has grown increasingly loud. us far, Europe has led the charge, with the European Parliament voting in 2019 to ban many single-use plastic products by the end of 2021. While the pandemic has slowed efforts, Canada is moving toward banning single-use plastic items including straws, stir sticks, cutlery and foodware made from hard-to-recycle plastics. While Romjue says the United States overall lags on plastic bans, individual states and cities have begun prohibiting certain products, including straws and shopping bags made from plastic. So, what's a company to do when many of its products are on the list of those targeted for bans? While Hoffmaster's disposable Since acquiring paper straw maker Aardvark in 2018, Hoffmaster has been improving the straws' strength and durability. Customers say the straws can stand up to any drink. "We just have to do better as a society on providing options that are less damaging to the earth moving forward, and I think Hoffmaster's definitely going to be at the forefront of that on the foodservice and consumer disposable sides." – Andy Romjue, president, Hoffmaster Foodservice and Creative Converting divisions

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