Blackhawk Network (BHN) and Monadnock Paper Mills Partner to Drive Sustainable Innovation in the Global Gift Card Market
PLEASANTON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dedicated to leading sustainability efforts within the industry through innovation and collaboration, global branded payments leader Blackhawk Network (BHN) has partnered with Monadnock Paper Mills to introduce Renovo, a new sustainable, fiber-based gift card substrate that brings a wealth of differentiated features to the global gift card market. A more eco-friendly alternative to PVC, Renovo not only leads the market with its uncompromising breadth of sustainability features, but it also introduces a new level of card resilience and manufacturing compatibility through its unique 30pt thickness and proprietary treatments.
Already certified for use at several of the largest card manufacturers in North America, Renovo will be rolled out globally later this year.
Just over two years after formally announcing its public-facing initiatives to create a more sustainable future for the gift card industry, BHN is proud to announce that it has exceeded its goal to convert at least 75% of its globally distributed physical gift cards to fiber-based substrates by the end of 2024, with a current conversion rate of 85%.
'For years, BHN has actively pursued opportunities to improve sustainability efforts in our industry,' said Cara Renfroe, SVP Global Operations, BHN. 'With this initiative, we aimed to raise the bar, taking gift card materials to the next level and we succeeded in creating a best-in-class substrate. Renovo leads other alternatives from a sustainability standpoint and also offers the most durable and versatile eco-friendly product on the market today. We could not be more excited about Renovo and the amazing partnership we have built with Monadnock.'
Renovo offers many unique benefits:
100% Post-Consumer Recycled Fiber: Made with Forest Stewardship Council ® (FSC) certified materials, demonstrating a commitment to responsible sourcing and environmental stewardship
Manufactured Carbon Neutral: Manufactured carbon neutral with verified emission reductions (VERS) certified under the GHG Clean Projects Protocol
Recyclable: Third-party verified as recyclable, designed for easy disposal in curbside mixed recycling bins
Multi-Platform Coating for Printing Versatility: Features a unique coating optimized for use on a variety of printing technologies—including HP Indigo 35,000, Datacard ® MX8100™ Card Issuance Systems, Flexographic, and Offset Printing—offering exceptional adaptability for diverse production needs
Seamless Transition from Plastic: Provides the most rigid, water and moisture-resistant, versatile 30 pt. paper gift card substrate in the market, making it an ideal replacement for traditional plastic gift cards without compromising quality or performance.
'Renovo showcases our commitment to environmentally responsible solutions that make a real impact,' said Lisa Taylor, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Monadnock Paper Mills. 'At Monadnock, we are committed to creating products that help our partners meet their environmental goals without compromising on quality or performance, and this partnership exemplifies that effort.'
To learn more, please visit www.mpm.com/renovo.
About Blackhawk Network
Today, through BHN's single global platform, businesses of all kinds can tap into the world's largest network of branded payment solutions. BHN helps businesses grow revenue, increase loyalty, motivate and reward their teams, disburse funds and engage consumers. Branded payment solutions include the issuance and distribution of gift cards, eGifts, corporate payouts and rewards, along with the technology to deliver these products in seamless, integrated ways. BHN's network spans the globe with more than 400,000 consumer touchpoints. Learn more at BHN.com.
About Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc.
Founded in 1819 and based in Bennington, NH, Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc., works with the world's leading brands to craft and customize environmentally responsible performance papers for commercial printing, packaging, and technical applications. Monadnock is committed to responsible environmental stewardship and maintains that fiber-based alternatives to plastic can be cost-efficient, environmentally sensitive, and beautiful. For more information about Monadnock Paper Mills, go to www.mpm.com or call customer service at (800) 221-2159. FSC® C018866 – The mark of responsible forestry.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
15 hours ago
- Business Insider
Meet the founder who turned down $1.5 million — and built one of Africa's fastest-growing companies two years in a row
Most startups chase big cheques to fuel their growth, but Tonye Irims, CEO of Wisolar, took a different route. He turned down a $1.5 million funding offer. Despite that, the South African solar company has continued to rise, earning recognition as one of Africa's fastest-growing companies for two consecutive years. Tonye Irims, CEO of WiSolar, declined a $1.5 million funding offer to maintain his company's values. WiSolar provides digital solar solutions using a pay-as-you-go model in South Africa and Nigeria. The company secured $9 million revolving credit to expand its climate initiative in Nigeria. From failure to opportunity WiSolar wasn't Tonye Irims ' first venture, or his first failure. Before launching the company in 2016, he had tried his hand at two startups: WiMobile in 2006 and FriendsChip, a social payments platform he launched in Texas in 2011. Both eventually failed, but failure didn't stop him. South Africa, where Irims launched WiSolar, was in the thick of an energy crisis. Blackouts were the norm, electricity costs kept climbing, and the grid was anything but reliable. According to the Department of Trade and Industry, the country's economy lost as much as 850 billion rand (about $46 billion) between 2021 and 2024 due to six consecutive shocks. Also, despite being Africa's most industrialized economy, South Africa was still heavily reliant on coal and had only just begun to flirt with renewables. In the middle of the chaos, Irims saw a gap and moved fast to fill it. A fresh take on solar power WiSolar is a digital solar company that lets people in South Africa and Nigeria pay for solar power as they use it. The company uses a model called a power purchase agreement (PPA), where WiSolar installs and looks after the solar system in a customer's home. Then, through the app, the customer buys power per kilowatt-hour through the WiSolar app, much like topping up mobile airtime. ' This way, people can get solar power without paying anything upfront, ' Irims told Business Insider Africa. The simplicity of the model clicked, especially in underserved communities in South Africa, where reliable energy is scarce and buying solar systems is even scarcer. But the early years were tough. ' We had a hard time convincing people to believe in us,' Irims said. ' We were struggling to get stakeholder buy-in, educating customers on how solar electricity works, operating with almost zero capital to execute.' At one point, he even tried to sell the business and the first outlet. ' No one thought it was worth anything then.' Wisolar Things started to change in 2018 when he got a small seed fund of about R60,000 ($4,000). That money helped him travel to Shenzhen, China, to understand solar tech and build supplier relationships. In 2023, WiSolar got a big offer, a $1.5 million loan from South Africa's Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). But Irims turned it down. He felt the conditions were too restrictive and risked limiting the company's growth and compromising its core values and mission. The IDC's loan offer, made under its energy resilience scheme, came with a terminal drawdown date of March 31, 2025, and a ten-year repayment term. It required monthly capital repayments starting from the drawdown date, alongside excessive disclosure requirements and offered little in terms of value-added support. For many early-stage African startups, saying no to money is almost unthinkable. Capital is scarce, and founders are often under pressure to take what they can get. Raising fund is especially tough in the energy space where WiSolar operates, unlike fintech, which is typically easier to scale. But Irims believes the wrong money can kill more than it can grow. 'If you're an investor who just has megalithic views. If you're just in it to make a quick buck, not looking at the long-term vision of the company, that is a red flag for me. You need to have a long-term view, play the long game, and look at the social impacts as well, like how many jobs it's going to create, how it's going to impact the environment, ' he stressed. ' They wanted too much,' Irims told me. ' Our IP is very sacrosanct to us. Commercials are fine, but certain IPs we cannot disclose. If you start pressing for that IP information or turn us into an educational class, it becomes a bit of a turnoff. That's not the kind of investor we want.' Who is an Ideal investor? For Irims, the right investor brings more than cash, they bring vision, access, and trust. Funding remains one of WiSolar's biggest challenges, not because capital isn't out there, but because the right kind of capital is rare. 'Finding partners who get your mission, who are aligned with your values and can open doors to markets, that's tough. A lot of funds don't even have the mandate for what we do.' WiSolar Thriving against the odds Walking away from that IDC deal didn't stop WiSolar. The cleantech company now operates in both South Africa and Nigeria, two of Africa's biggest energy markets, and keeps expanding through a mix of B2B and residential offerings. Last year, it secured $9 million in revolving credit from Chinese institutions last year to back its Climate Zero Initiative, and deploy solar energy across 10 Nigerian states. It has been ranked as one of Africa's fastest-growing companies for two consecutive years by the Financial Times and Statista, which tracked compound annual growth from 2020 to 2023. So, what advice does Irims have for entrepreneurs thinking about giving up? ' It takes a heart of steel' he says. ' You'll face doubts, rejections, and naysayers, and well-meaning supporters too. You have to know the difference. '
Business Upturn
19 hours ago
- Business Upturn
Lupin gets U.S. FDA tentative approval for Generic Oxcarbazepine ER Tablets
Lupin Limited has announced that it has received tentative approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Oxcarbazepine Extended-Release (ER) Tablets in 150 mg, 300 mg, and 600 mg strengths. These tablets are the generic equivalent of Oxtellar XR® ER Tablets by Supernus Pharmaceuticals and are indicated for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in patients aged 6 years and above. Lupin's version of the drug will be manufactured at its Nagpur facility in India. According to IQVIA MAT April 2025 data, Oxcarbazepine ER Tablets (RLD Oxtellar XR®) recorded estimated annual sales of USD 206 million in the United States, underscoring the potential market opportunity for Lupin. Headquartered in Mumbai, Lupin is a leading global pharmaceutical company with a strong footprint in the U.S. and India. The company focuses on a broad range of therapy areas including central nervous system disorders, respiratory, cardiovascular, anti-infective, and women's health. It operates 15 manufacturing sites and 7 research centers globally, supported by over 23,000 employees. Lupin continues to expand its U.S. portfolio of complex generics and remains committed to delivering high-quality, affordable medicines that improve health outcomes for patients around the world. Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Earn up to 110,000 bonus miles with a new Delta SkyMiles credit card
American Express and Delta are out with all-new welcome bonus offers across three personal credit cards within the Delta SkyMiles suite: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. There are also new offers on Delta business cards: Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: Earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Earn 110,000 bonus miles after spending $12,000 on eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. With over 290 destinations across six continents and more than 200 million customers served in 2024, Delta is one of the most well-known airlines worldwide. And you could reduce much of the upfront cost of flying to one of Delta's global destinations if you're able to take advantage of these generous sign-up bonuses. It depends on how you redeem the miles, but we value Delta SkyMiles at an average of 1.18 cents each. That means 100,000 miles equals about $1,180. However, as with many airline credit cards, the exact value of your miles depends on how you use them. Since Delta uses dynamic pricing, you can see different values with each redemption. You can find plenty of value with 100,000 (give or take, depending on the welcome offer) Delta SkyMiles. This is especially true when accounting for the TakeOff 15 benefit, which provides an automatic 15% discount on eligible award flights for Delta SkyMiles cardholders. Let's take a look at some possible redemptions. You can fly from Los Angeles (LAX) to Auckland (AKL) for 38,200 miles. The cash price for the same flight is $1,341, giving you a redemption value of about 3.5 cents per mile ($1,341 / 38,200 = 0.035104). You'll still have plenty of miles left to figure out your return flight, which could mean including a stop in Australia after visiting Hobbiton (and while you're in the area). This flight from Salt Lake City (SLC) to Mexico City (MEX) will only set you back 26,300 miles. The redemption value for this flight is about 1.5 cents per mile, which is better than our average valuation. And with miles to spare, you can bring some friends or work on covering the return leg home. You don't have to get fancy with your redemptions; a short flight will do just fine if it saves you money, especially if it's a route you frequently take. Consider this example: A flight between Atlanta (ATL) and Miami (MIA) that costs 8,300 miles or $117. With 100,000 miles, you could take this flight 12 times, giving you plenty of opportunities for vacations or visiting friends and family. This particular flight has a redemption value of about 1.4 cents per mile. See which flavor — Gold, Platinum, or Reserve — of Delta SkyMiles card is the best fit for you. Consider which Delta SkyMiles business card is right for you if you run a small best Delta SkyMiles credit card for you depends on your goals and spending habits. If you only fly occasionally, maybe a few times per year, we recommend the Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex Card. This card has the lowest annual fee but still provides one of the best benefits: a free checked bag. With only a few roundtrip flights, you can offset the annual fee in saved baggage charges. If you travel a lot, a card like the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex Card or Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex Card may make more sense. These cards have higher annual fees, but they also provide more benefits. For example, the Delta Reserve Amex Card offers Delta Sky Club Access (at least 15 visits each Medallion year), which could come in handy the more you find yourself in airports. Business owners can apply for the personal or business versions of the Delta SkyMiles credit cards. The business credit cards are largely the same as their personal variants, but their welcome offers require increased spending, so keep that in mind when making your decision. All the Delta SkyMiles credit cards associated with these new welcome offers have annual fees. If you want to avoid an annual fee at all costs, consider no-annual-fee credit Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to the Yahoo Finance and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank's website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
