As the functional drinks category continues to grow rapidly around the globe, sustainability is becoming a key differentiator alongside health benefits, ingredient transparency, and brand authenticity. CCL Labels, a global leader in label and packaging solutions, supports beverage brands with innovative, sustainability-driven technologies designed to enhance recyclability, enable circular packaging, and respond to the latest functional drink trends.
The global functional beverage market, mainly driven by developments in the United States, is evolving beyond traditional energy and sports drinks. Consumer demand for targeted wellness solutions is driving growth in probiotic and prebiotic beverages supporting gut health, protein-enriched drinks for nutrition and satiety, and hard refreshers and better-for-you alcoholic beverages that combine enjoyment with mindful consumption. These products are often packaged in glass or PET bottles, cans, or flexible formats – making packaging compatibility with recycling systems increasingly critical.
Label and packaging technologies designed for circularity
CCL Labels offers a broad portfolio of solutions that help reduce environmental impact while maintaining the performance and shelf appeal required in the functional drinks segment. Key sustainability-focused technologies include:
- EcoFloat® WHITE, a floatable label solution that separates efficiently from PET during recycling, supporting high-quality recyclate while delivering the lightblocking in the sleeve – enabling brands with light-sensitive products to move from opaque containers to transparent PET containers that are recycled in a closed loop.
- EcoShear®, a pressure-sensitive label technology engineered to shear cleanly from glass containers during the sorting and recycling process, helping to minimize contamination in recycling streams.
- WashOff labels, designed to detach reliably during standard washing processes of reurnable glass or PET bottles, enabling early removal of labels and adhesives in re-use and re-fill schemes.
- EcoStream® PSL labels, which are removed cleany and efficietly in one piece during recycling, supporting clean separation from PET bottles and improving recyclate purity.
- Monomaterial pouches for drinks, designed to support recyclability by using a single material structure, offering a lightweight and resource-efficient alternative for emerging functional beverage formats.
Together, these solutions help beverage brands improve material recovery, reduce waste, and move closer to closed-loop packaging systems.
JOYBA® Bubble Teas are the company’s latest products to be Upcycled Certified® as it delivers food that nourishes people and the planet
Del Monte Foods announced that all nine of its JOYBA® Bubble Teas have received Upcycled Certified® status from Where Food Comes From, Inc., furthering the company’s efforts in reducing food waste. Through these nine beverages, Del Monte Foods has successfully reclaimed 265 tons of sweetened syrup over the past year, reducing food waste through more sustainable practices.
The company has been active in the upcycled food movement. In 2021, Del Monte’s Blue Lake® Petite Cut, and Blue Lake® Farmhouse Cut Green Beans became the industry’s first canned vegetable products to be Upcycled Certified® by Where Food Comes From, Inc. Made with upcycled green beans from Wisconsin and Illinois, these offerings have now been joined by the newly certified JOYBA Bubble Teas. Through upcycling, smaller- or larger-sized vegetable cuts and sweetened syrup are being reclaimed rather than going to waste.
“As Growers of Good, Del Monte Foods actively seeks ways to redirect surplus products, helping to provide healthier, accessible food while reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Greg Longstreet, President and CEO of Del Monte Foods. “This achievement is a testament to the hard work of our team members in using more sustainable practices to ensure that food reaches its highest and best purpose, while creating delicious food and beverages that bring joy to eating.”
Globally, around USD 1 trillion is lost per year on food that is wasted. As part of Del Monte Foods’ mission to nourish people and communities with earth’s goodness, the company continues to reduce food waste in its supply chain. In fiscal year 2024, the company diverted more than 3 million pounds of food from landfills through upcycling.
“Upcycling food has emerged as one of the most effective ways food companies and people can combat climate change,” said Amanda Oenbring, CEO of the Upcycled Food Association. “As a trusted brand, Del Monte Foods leadership in the upcycling space continues to have an important impact on consumer awareness of reducing food waste for a healthier planet and future.”
GNT has passed the halfway mark in its mission to reduce carbon intensity at its EXBERRY® colour factories by 50 % over the course of the current decade.
Based on volume of product sold, GNT cut carbon emissions at its production sites in the Netherlands, Germany, and United States by 26 % between 2020 and 2024. This achievement is particularly significant in light of the company’s growth during the same period.
Global sales for plant-based EXBERRY® colours have increased more than 50 % since 2020. Under normal circumstances, such growth would have driven a substantial increase in total carbon emissions due to increased production demands. However, by improving efficiency and investing in sustainable technologies, GNT has been able to keep overall emissions in check.
GNT’s new sustainability report reveals there has been strong progress toward many of the 17 sustainability targets it is working to achieve by 2030.
Water efficiency at its factories has improved by 30 % compared to 2020, which already surpasses the original 20 % goal. The company is also committed to ensuring every contract farmer growing fruits, vegetables, and plants for EXBERRY® colours enrolls in sustainable agriculture training programs. By the end of 2024, 80 % had achieved the level of FSA (Farm Sustainability Assessment) Silver or Gold.
In addition to its environmental aims, GNT’s targets include measures to benefit people throughout the EXBERRY® value chain. In 2024, the lost-time accident rate at the factories fell to 25 % below the industry average. The company also helped organise a three-day leadership training program in Peru as part of its commitment to supporting social livelihood projects in its sourcing areas.
Hendrik Hoeck, CEO at GNT Group, said: “We are proud to say that we are still delivering on our ambitious plans to protect people and planet while achieving significant global growth. Our 2024 report underlines our continued determination to lead the food colouring industry on sustainability and ensure that GNT is in a position to thrive for generations to come.”
GNT secured an EcoVadis gold medal last year for its environmental and ethical activities, with its score placing the company among the top 3 % in the food manufacturing industry.
It is now working on plans to go even further in 2025. With GNT on track to meet its CO2 targets at its factories, the top priority going forward is to reduce indirect emissions from throughout its wider value chain.
Rutger de Kort, Sustainability Manager at GNT Group, said: “We have made excellent progress at our production sites and now need to work with our suppliers to achieve reductions in other areas. This is more challenging as these emissions are outside our direct control, but our closely managed supply chain gives us a real advantage and we are developing plans to address the biggest hotspots.”
In line with its commitment to transparency, GNT secures independent verification for its emissions data. It also offers its customers Product Environmental Footprint information across scopes 1, 2, and 3 for EXBERRY® colours.
Rutger de Kort added: “Trust is hugely important to us. This is why we publish independently audited Greenhouse Gas Verification Statements and provide our customers with the data they need to make informed decisions about how to optimise their recipes.”
To read GNT’s ‘Sustainability report 2024,’ visit: https://exberry.com/en/sustainability-report-2024
