Upfield, a Dutch plant-based foods company, has unveiled the “world’s first” plastic-free and recyclable tubs for its plant-based butter and spreads.
The updated packaging solution is the result of a four-year partnership with Footprint, MCC and Pagès Group, as Upfield is working on reducing plastic content by 80% across its entire portfolio by 2030.
The plastic-free tubs, initially launched in Austria with the Flora Plant brand in 2023, are poised to contribute to environmentally sustainable packaging in the food industry. Upfield plans to scale its new solution, aiming to replace up to two billion plastic tubs by 2030, thereby claiming to prevent more than 25,000 tons of plastic waste annually.
Karina Cerdeira, packaging development director at Upfield.Karina Cerdeira, packaging development director at Upfield, tells Packaging Insights: “Globally, 40% of all plastic produced is for packaging that is used once and then discarded. It is clear that the issue of plastic waste is one of the most critical facing our planet.”
“Our move out of plastic will remove millions of items of avoidable plastic waste from the environment and, importantly, embraces a renewable and nature-based packaging solution over one that relies on fossil inputs.”
An innovative collaborationDeveloped by Upfield’s R&D team in collaboration with Footprint’s material sciences technology, the paper tubs are made from compressed wet paper fibers. The tubs are waterproof, oil-proof and entirely recyclable in local paper waste streams.
John Verbakel, chief R&D officer at Upfield, shares with us: “Many thought it would be impossible to put oil-based products in paper, but over the past four years we have tested multiple prototypes to arrive at a solution that allows us to do just that. In partnership with Footprint, we were able to bring this to market in late 2023.”
“Footprint’s engineers use plant-based fiber technology to design, develop and manufacture bio-based products with the aim to eliminate single-use plastics in our food chain. Our paper tub is robust enough to keep spreads made from plant oils safe in the fridge for weeks while maintaining the taste consumers love.”
“MCC Verstraete provides the label for the paper tub and Pagès Group provides the system to apply the label. Emsur developed the liner that can be recycled along with other paper and cardboard household waste, as verified by a leading European recycling company,” he continues.
This isn’t the company’s initial endeavor in pursuing sustainability through initiatives related to packaging. Upfield implemented on-pack carbon labeling on 100 million packs of its spreads, margarine, butter, and creams in 2021. These labels can provide consumers with information on the environmental impact of their food choices with an independent assessment.
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