A ground-breaking paper product used by Starbucks coffee house chains across the country is made right here in Natchez.

This fall, Mississippi River Corporation received U.S. Food & Drug Administration approval for the first beverage cups made of recycled materials.

Not only is this product good for the environment, it’s a huge boost for the company &045; and of course for Natchez.

And it proves what a lot of hard work and ingenuity can do for a small company.

MRC worked for several years on the product, which begins with pulp produced in Natchez from recycled paper , which goes to a Mead-Westvaco plant in Evadale, Texas, where the paper board is made. The paper board goes to Solo Cup Company, where the beverage cups are manufactured for Starbucks.

Under the direction of process engineer Tanya Richardson, the project had to meet the strict testing standards of the FDA.

MRC now has the opportunity to market the new product aggressively with many other companies around the world &045; and it has a patent pending on its technology, which could mean an even greater share of the market.

We’re proud to know that such an innovative product begins right here in Natchez &045; and to know that folks here at home are looking to the future in so many different ways.

Mississippi River Corp. is setting a great example not only for other businesses interested in environmentally-friendly materials but also for Miss-Lou businesses looking in new directions to survive in our struggling economy.