Hoffmaster Group, Inc., a leading U.S. manufacturer of premium disposable tableware, announces the acquisition of Aardvark Straws, the sole U.S. producer of paper straws. Hoffmaster will assume operations for Aardvark as part of its family of production facilities.
Aardvark, owned by Precision Products Group, Inc. (PPG), began manufacturing paper straws in 2007. In addition to acquiring all operating rights of Aardvark, Hoffmaster will also obtain ownership of the manufacturing assets in one plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana, which includes a line of customizable paper straw products. PPG will continue to own and operate a second Fort Wayne plant unrelated to straw production.
“This is an important acquisition for Hoffmaster as Aardvark straws are a natural extension of our premium portfolio and complement our line of environmentally responsible products,” says Andy Romjue, president of Hoffmaster’s Foodservice Division. “In the coming months, we will aggressively ramp up Aardvark’s manufacturing capacity to meet the rapidly accelerating demand for paper straws while conducting a full review of the business needs to optimally fold it into the current Hoffmaster infrastructure. We are committed to being a reliable supply source for paper drinking straws in the foodservice market.”
Collectively, this acquisition will provide Aardvark with the necessary resources to fulfill orders in light of the increasing demand for viable plastic straw alternatives. Within the last year, Seattle, San Francisco, Vancouver, Fort Myers, Florida, Malibu, California and others have banned plastic straws, while New York and more communities are considering them. Notable brands such as Starbucks, Disney, and American Airlines have also announced they’ll eliminate plastic straws from their establishments.
Plastic pollution is one of the biggest environmental challenges of our time, with statistics showing that there will be more plastic in the ocean than there are fish, by volume, by 2050. Restaurants, venues, and establishments worldwide are working to combat plastic pollution by switching from plastic to Aardvark paper straws.
“We’re optimistic about everything that Hoffmaster will accomplish with the acquisition of Aardvark,” says Dave Hooe, CEO and president of Precision Products Group. “Their knowledge of the foodservice market paired with their resources will aid the company in providing billions of quality paper straws to restaurants and businesses looking to implement necessary changes to protect our environment. We’re proud of how far Aardvark has come and look forward to continued success with Hoffmaster.”
Aardvark paper straws, the world’s leading brand of paper straws, are earth and marine friendly, naturally degradable, FDA/EU compliant, compostable and are noticeably superior to other paper straws in the market.
