Franzia moving towards Environmental Responsibly
Fred Franzia is no stranger to controversy. He has been the subject of numerous legal battles over his 49 different labels and business practices. But on the fifth anniversary of the introduction of the Charles Shaw label, he seems to be taking a step in the right direction.
At a lunch-in at the Bronco facility, Franzia announced that he is “exploring the possibility” of building a glass bottle factory in Napa County. And by “explore the possibility” he means, were moving forward with this project.
For the past five years, consumers have bought 300 million bottles of “Two Buck Chuck,” including Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Shiraz. Most of these 300 million glass bottles were imported from China or Mexico. Although it may not seem like much, importing these bottles is definitely not helping the local environment. According to Franzia,
“The real bonus is (it) will eliminate 62,000 truckloads, or approximately 375,000 diesel-driving hours, per year.”
Having a local bottle factory should decrease the total annual diesel truck emissions within the San Francisco Bay by more than 32,000 tons, primarily of carbon dioxide. Additionally, Franzia said “Our new glass plant will be compatible with today’s environmental requirements.”
If that wasn’t enough, the facility will create over 350 “high paying jobs” for local community members, adding to the Napa County tax base. Franzia did not comment on the timeline, but he already purchased the property where the facility is intended to be built.
Taking steps to reduce the impact of his business on the environment is a good step. This rings especially true in California’s bay area, where people seem particularly sensitive to this issue. To many, Franzia is seen as the bad guy, taking steps like this will help lessen that stereotype.
Written by: Ryan Fujiu on Wednesday, April 18 2007
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