Silk (brand)

File:Silksoymilk.jpg

• [http://www.silksoymilk.com/ Silk Soymilk Website)

Silk is a brand of soy milk introduced in 1996. It is distributed by White Wave Foods, a subsidiary of Dean Foods, which is the distributor of most cow's milk in the United States. The name "Silk" is a portmanteau of the words soy and milk. Silk soy milk comes in many flavors including original, vanilla, chocolate, and unsweetened.

Silk Soy Milk was founded by Steve Demos in Boulder, Colorado. His vision for the company came to him during a period of time when he was living in a cave in India.

Silk is the most popular and most recognized soy milk in the United States, comprising roughly three fourths of the refrigerated soy milk businesses in the America. Dean Foods also owns Sun Soy, another brand of soy milk. Silk Soymilk Named A Top U.S. Green Power Purchaser of the Year.

Helping the environment==

Silk Soymilk is healthy for you and your environment. Silk is committed to making the world a healthier place through socially responsible and environmentally sustainable business practices. Here’s how we do it.

Silk Soymilk purchases wind power, an environmentally friendly electricity source, to offset 100 percent of the energy used in the production of its products. Silk Soymilk has been a recipient of the prestigious Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, a top honor that recognizes the brand’s role in using and promoting renewable energy. Silk Soymilk has been a proud supporter of Farm Aid since 2002. We stand behind Farm Aid’s mission to keep family farmers on their land and ensure a safe, healthy food supply for all Americans. Silk Soymilk supports America’s farmers and primarily uses organic soy beans in its products. In fact, it uses more than 700,000 bushels of U.S. organic soy beans annually, farmed on more than 3,000 acres of organic farmland. Silk Soymilk uses a mixture of organic and natural, non-genetically modified soy beans. Organic soy beans are grown with traditional plant breeding and farming practices, which reduces the amount of pesticides in the air, soil, water, and most importantly, the food supply. In fact, organic soy beans actually return nutrients to the soil. Silk Soymilk uses soy beans that when farmed; replenish the earth. Soy provides nutrients to the soil, unlike other agricultural products that deplete soil nutrients. In addition to picking our beans with Mother Nature in mind, we make every effort to choose responsibly when sourcing our other ingredients. For example, we make our Silk Creamer with palm oil that is produced using sustainable farming and processing techniques to protect our natural resources. Our palm oil supplier has pioneered responsible practices in palm oil production, and is an active participant in the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. Natural foods may take extra care to grow, but Silk Soymilk believes the end result is worth it. Silk soy beans make good-for-you soy products that taste delicious, naturally. Check out our other great-tasting Silk soy products.

List Of Events

Silk is organic and free of dairy products. Year Event (1977) Steve Demos, a young entrepreneur, borrows $500 to start WhiteWave Foods as a sole proprietorship. We sell tofu out of our small store in downtown Boulder, where we will eventually introduce Silk Soymilk. (1978) The first version of our soy milk is sold in three delicious varieties – Plain, Honey-sweetened and Carob-maple. Not yet called Silk, soy milk is sold out of bulk dispensers in our store. (1979) An early variety of soy ice cream, called Polar Bear, is introduced. Although successful, the Polar Bear Soy ice cream brand eventually goes away. (1981) Our tasty tofu products sell quickly in King Soopers grocery stores throughout the mountain west. (1983-84) We enthusiastically sell delicious soy products around the country in Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, Phoenix and Salt Lake City. (1985-96) We grow in size and sales as soy products become more popular. (1996) Silk – the first fresh, refrigerated, organic soy milk – hits the grocery aisles and becomes an instant hit.

Responding to the popularity of Original Silk Soymilk, we introduce 3 delicious new flavors: Vanilla, Plain and Chocolate Soymilk. (1996-99) Silk becomes our primary product due to its huge popularity. (1999) FDA announces the heart-health benefits of soy, as if you needed another reason to love Silk Soymilk. (2000) Fruity Silk Soy Yogurt is introduced.

Due to popular demand, Silk becomes available in Canada. (2002) Silk Aseptic (shelf-stable container) is introduced, which conveniently doesn’t need refrigeration until opened. (2003) Silk on-the-go Single Serve packaging is introduced.

Silk teams up with Starbucks® as the soy milk brand of choice in 4,000 Starbucks locations. (2003) Silk is awarded its first Green Power Leadership Award for offsetting 100% of electricity used in creating Silk and named one of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Top 25 Partners.

We begin sponsoring Farm Aid. 2004 Five tasty new Silk Soymilk options are introduced: Enhanced, Unsweetened, Very Vanilla and Plain & Vanilla twin-packs.

Delicious Silk Live! Soy Smoothies are introduced in four irresistible flavors: Mango, Strawberry, Raspberry and Peach.

Silk becomes a presenting sponsor for Farm Aid. We also receive the Green Power Partner of the Year award and are again named an EPA Top 25 partner. (2005) Healthy and tasty Silk Light is introduced in Light Plain, Light Vanilla and Light Chocolate.

Silk is chosen by the Smithsonian Institution to build a soy exhibit at the Folklife Festival on the National Mall and demonstrate how soymilk is made to over 1 million intrigued visitors.

We are again a presenting sponsor for Farm Aid.

Silk receives the Green Power Partner of the Year award and is once more named an EPA Top 25 partner. (2006) Silk is featured in Chef Akasha Richmond’s book Hollywood Dish that contains over 50 recipes using soy milk.

Silk continues to offset 100% of its energy usage with renewable wind energy

Partnership

Silk is a member of the Soyfoods Association of North America, (SANA). SANA is a soy industry organization that provides information about the health benefits and nutritional advantages of soy consumption to consumers, health professionals, researchers, media, government officials, and industry partners. For more information, visit www.soyfoods.org

NUTRITIONAL CHART

(based on one 8-ounce serving)

Silk Vanilla

Calories 100
Fat 3.5g
Saturated Fat 0.5g
Cholesterol 0 
Sugar 7g
Sodium 95mg
Carbohydrates 10g 
Vitamin A 10% 
Vitamin D 30%
Calcium 30%
Iron 6%
Folate 6%

• USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18

List of Silk Soy Products and Flavors

Refrigerated Soy Milk - Plain, Vanilla, Very Vanilla, Chocolate, Unsweetened, Plus Fiber, Plus Omega-3 DHA.

Light Soy Milk - Plain, Vanilla, Chocolate.

Shelf Stable Soy Milk - Plain Aseptic, Vanilla Aseptic, Unsweetened Aseptic, Starbucks Vanilla Aseptic (A special blend made for use and purchase in Starbucks' stores)

Shelf Stable Single Serve Soy Milk - Very Vanilla, Chocolate.

Specialty Soy Milk - Chai Tea, Coffee, Mocha, Spice, Egg Nog (seasonal).

Silk Live! Soy Smoothie -Blueberry, Raspberry, Peach, Mango, Strawberry.

Silk Soy Yogurt -Banana Strawberry, Black Cherry, Blueberry, Key Lime, Peach, Raspberry, Strawberry, Vanilla.

Silk Soy Yogurt Family Size -Plain, Vanilla.

Silk Soy Creamer -Original, Hazelnut, French Vanilla.

External links

• Silk Soymilk Website