The company said the new packaging is part of its commitment to a 30% reduction by 2022 in greenhouse gas emissions per pound of its product. The Salisbury, Maryland, family-owned business, which turns 100 years old this year, is one of the largest chicken, turkey, beef and pork processing firms in the United States. It produces meat for several brands, including Coleman Natural, Perdue Harvestland and Niman Ranch.

"We've had significant conversations at the company in the past year about our sustainability efforts and what more we can do to reduce the impact on the environment," said David Zucker, Perdue Farms' senior vice president of e-commerce and new ventures.

Zucker said Perdue Farms already uses some recyclable packaging on its products: Although its conventional meat products sold in grocery stores are still wrapped in plastic and foam trays, its organic products are packaged in recyclable foam trays available in some locations, he said. But not all locations recycle foam, so it's not a perfect solution to the packaging waste problem.

The new compostable foam could be a more sustainable solution: Even if people have concerns with pouring cornstarch down their drains, the foam will dissolve in a landfill. It will at first be available only to customers who buy online, but Perdue said it is exploring ways to continue to make its packaging across the whole business more sustainable.