Coca-Cola & Beloved Local U.S. Pizzerias Are Offering Up Their Iconic Pizza In Exchange For Recycling A Bottle

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Oct 17, 2023, 10:36 ET

Toss In, Take Out Celebrates the Expansion of 100% Recycled Plastic Bottles* Across Chicago, Atlanta and the Pacific Northwest

ATLANTA, Oct. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Order Up! Today, Coca-Cola announces it has teamed up with beloved local pizzerias across the United States to launch Toss In, Take Out – a traveling restaurant takeover to serve up delicious slices and pies. But, not for any amount of money, instead for the act of recycling a plastic bottle.

This fall, Coca-Cola Trademark brands (Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero Sugar, Coca-Cola Flavors) in 20-oz bottles made from 100% recycled plastic* (*excluding cap and label) are expanding their availability to new markets, rolling out across Chicago, Atlanta and the Pacific Northwest. Available now in 11 major U.S. markets, Toss In, Take Out will be celebrating the expansion of 100% recycled plastic bottles* through takeovers of your favorite pizza spots in New York City, Atlanta and Chicago.

Toss In, Take Out Kicking Off at New York City's Bleecker Street Pizza on October 24 (PRNewsfoto/Coca-Cola)

Coca-Cola Partners with Beloved Local U.S. Pizzerias To Offer Up Pizza In Exchange For Recycling

Expansion of Coca-Cola trademark brand in 20-oz 100% recycled plastic* bottles. (PRNewsfoto/Coca-Cola)

New Yorkers can forget their wallet for a day and savor a slice of pizza at the famous Bleecker Street Pizza on Oct. 24 as the first restaurant takeover stop! Coke will then head to Goodfellas Pizza & Wings in Atlanta on Nov. 2, and Lou Malnati's Pizzeria in Chicago on Nov. 7. Consumers who bring in any empty plastic beverage bottle to recycle (including non-Coke products) will have the opportunity to use it as currency to receive their hometown's pizza and a cold 20-oz Coke beverage served in a 100% recycled plastic bottle*.

"Legendary Chicago Deep Dish and Coke are a perfect pairing at Lou Malnati's, and we're thrilled to partner with Coca-Cola on this recycling program," said Marc Malnati, Owner, Lou Malnati's Pizzeria. "We will soon offer their 20-oz bottles made from 100% recycled plastic* at all our locations in Chicagoland. Bring any recyclable plastic bottle into our West Loop restaurant at 1259 West Randolph Street on Tuesday, November 7th, and we'll buy you a slice and a 20-oz bottle of Coke to celebrate!"

Coca-Cola Trademark first launched bottles made from 100% recycled plastic* in 2021 across California, New York, and Texas and was a first-of-its-kind innovation for the brand in the United States.

"The expanded availability of Coca-Cola Trademark products in 100% recycled plastic bottles advances our ambitions to reduce virgin plastic and drive a circular economy for our packaging, the fundamental principle behind our sustainable packaging initiative, World Without Waste," said Kurt Ritter, Vice President & General Manager, Sustainability at The Coca-Cola Company North America. "Our ability to use 100% recycled plastic is a direct result of consumers' sustained commitment to recycling. In the future, we plan to bring this design innovation to more brands and markets."

With 20-oz bottles made from 100% recycled plastic* expanding its availability, Coca-Cola expects to save over 37 million pounds of new plastic on an annual basis – the equivalent of approximately 890 million bottles – in 2024 alone. The shift is also estimated to reduce over 39,000 tons of CO2 equivalent annually in the United States – the equivalent of taking around 8,400 cars off the road for one year. This expansion of bottles made from 100% recycled plastic* advances The Coca-Cola Company's progress toward its World Without Waste goal of using at least 50% recycled material in bottles and cans by 2030 globally.

This short YouTube film explores the impact of local food culture in the United States and how bottles made from 100% recycled plastic* are progressing the closed-loop recycling system. For more information on the Toss In, Take Out restaurant takeovers and the expansion of 20-oz Coca-Cola Trademark bottles made from 100% recycled plastic* visit www.cokeurl.com/tossintakeout.

*Excludes cap and label

About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company's purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our hydration, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak, Honest and Ayataka. Our nutrition, juice, dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We're constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people's lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.