With a joint investment of around EUR 3 million by Tetra Pak and Yellow Dreams, a new recycling plant is set to start operations in Ittervoort (The Netherlands) in the second half of 2025. The facility will handle the non-fibre component (polyAl) from used beverage cartons, boosting the recycling capacity in the European Union (EU).
Strategically located near the Belgian and German borders, the plant has the potential to process the entire volume of polyAl from beverage cartons recycled in Belgium and The Netherlands, and part of the volume from Germany. Featuring an annual capacity of 20,000 tonnes, this second Dutch plant complements the existing 8,000-tonne capacity at Recon Polymers’ facility in Roosendaal, marking a significant increase to the region’s recycling capacity. It also adds to the existing and well-established recycling infrastructure in the EU, where beverage cartons are recycled in 20 specialised paper mills, with polyAl currently processed by ten facilities.
Kinga Sieradzon, Vice President Collection & Recycling, Tetra Pak, comments: “We are pleased to announce this new plant, which significantly enhances the recycling capacities of used beverage cartons in the region. By collaborating with Yellow Dreams, we have the opportunity to exceed the Netherlands’ official recycling targets.1This is another milestone in our collaborative journey with all stakeholders across the value chain, to drive collection, sorting, and recycling. Our ongoing investments, up to €40 million each year globally,2 reflect our commitment to advancing beverage carton recycling and supporting sustainable practices.”
Bas Gehlen, Managing Director at Yellow Dreams, adds: “The joint endeavour of Yellow Dreams and Tetra Pak not only showcases the potential of polyAl recycling but also sets a remarkable example of the value of collaboration towards building a circular system. Through this project, we are continuing to spearhead the transformation of carton recycling, leaving a lasting impact on the environment and inspiring further the adoption of circular economy practices.”
Today, beverage cartons can be and are being recycled into valuable materials for new products wherever the collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure is in place. Therefore, expanding this infrastructure is a priority for Tetra Pak. Recycled paper fibres are used to enhance the quality of various paper products, such as e-commerce boxes and shopping bags. The protective layers of polymers and aluminium, once recycled, can replace virgin plastics or other recycled plastics in applications for injection moulding, extrusion or thermo-forming, and be used to produce a variety of goods, such as pallets, crates, outdoor furniture, flower pots and tiles.
Tetra Pak has collaborated intensively with Recon Polymers since 2019 to further develop polyAl recycling technology. The project evolved into a full-fledged commercial plant in Roosendaal, Netherlands that commenced operations in early 2021 and got an €1 million injection in 2023 in a bid to increase the capacity to 8,000 tonnes per year, therefore advancing material circularity across France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The co-investment with Yellow Dreams – which is based on the same technology, helping to transform polyAl into a range of everyday items including reusable pallets, interiors and large-format 3D printed object – represents the latest step in this journey. Once operational, the new plant will benefit several countries.
1The Netherlands’ official recycling target not only accounts for fibre recycling but also polyAl recycling. This target will evolve from 34 % in 2023 to 55 % by 2030 (source: https://www.verpact.nl/nl/drankenkartons) 2Capital and operating investments.
Tetra Pak and Lactalis have unveiled a carton package that uses certified recycled polymers linked to used beverage cartons, marking a first for the beverage carton industry and a significant step towards a circular economy.
This material has been certified by ISCC PLUS as originating from the recycling process of used beverage cartons in Spain and is allocated to the package based on a mass balance attribution method. This means that the certified recycled polymers are made up of a mix of recycled and non-recycled, virgin fossil feedstock, ensuring the corresponding volume of recycled material is sourced and tracked throughout the supply chain. This is verified by a third-party auditor, according to the ISCC Chain of Custody Procedure.2 The chemical recycling process ensures that the certified recycled polymers do not compromise the package’s quality, food safety or any other attributes, further demonstrating the circular potential of cartons.
The advancement keeps quality resources in circulation and reduces the industry’s dependence on virgin, fossil-based materials, which aligns with both companies’ ambitions to further enhance the environmental profile of packaging. Tetra Pak plans to invest €100 million annually for the next five to ten years to achieve this, while Lactalis has made responsible packaging and the circular economy one of its global environmental priorities, together with animal welfare across their partner farms and decarbonisation of all their activities by 2050.
Joël Llovera, Purchasing Director of Lactalis Iberia, says: “Our collaboration with Tetra Pak is rooted in a shared vision and commitment to environmental stewardship for future generations, facilitated by circular economy principles. Packaging innovation plays a crucial role in this endeavor. We are dedicated to sustainable progress. Transitioning from fossil-based polymers to recycled ones, certified by ISCC PLUS as linked to used beverage cartons, represents a significant stride towards our objective.”
Marco Marchetti, Vice President Packaging Materials, Sales and Distribution Solutions, Tetra Pak, adds: “Increasing the usage of renewable and recycled resources in packaging is critical if we are to help food and beverage producers realise material circularity, turning waste into new resources and lowering reliance on virgin, fossil-based materials. To scale up the adoption of certified recycled polymers in food packaging, we need collective action across the entire system and enabling legislation. Scientists, policymakers, recyclers, industry players and others must work together to turn challenges into opportunities, as shown by our world-first introduction with Lactalis.”
This innovative initiative by Lactalis involves packing its Puleva dairy range sold in Spain – including calcium skimmed, semi-skimmed, whole and lactose-free milk – in Tetra Brik® Aseptic 1000 Slim cartons featuring the HeliCap™ 23 Pro closure. Following the market introduction under the Puleva brand, Lactalis aims to gradually expand its range of dairy products in packaging that uses certified recycled polymers. This step also aligns with expectations from consumers across the globe, who demand greater commitment from brands in terms of sustainability and are beginning to adapt their own behaviors to match. Tetra Pak research indicates that 78 % of consumers are concerned about the environmental impact of plastic waste, with 29 % reporting an increase in purchasing products packaged in recycled materials in the last year.3
1The certified recycled polymers are made of a mix of recycled and non-recycled, virgin fossil feedstock. Mass balance certification ensures the corresponding volume of recycled material is sourced and tracked throughout the supply chain. This is verified by a third-party auditor, according to the ISCC Chain of Custody Procedure. 2The material has been certified by ISCC PLUS as originating from the recycling process of used beverage cartons in Spain and is allocated to the package based on a mass balance attribution method. Mass balance is one of the chain of custody options eligible for ISCC certification. 3Tetra Pak’s latest Sustainable Packaging consumer research, run in 2023, comprised a total of 14,500 consumer interviews based on an online questionnaire in 29 markets: Germany, France, UK, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, South Africa, Egypt, China, India, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam, Brazil, USA, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina.
Having joined Tetra Pak more than 24 years ago, Sara has delivered countless innovations across solutions development, programme management, and equipment engineering for the company and its food and beverage customers. Her mandate in the new role is to develop and deliver innovative solutions with the highest value for customers, collaborate across the business to accelerate their deployment, and fast-track the work to realise the company’s ambition to deliver the world’s most sustainable paper-based food and beverage package1.
Sara De Simoni (Photo: Tetra Pak)
She is based in Lausanne, Switzerland, and is a member of the Tetra Pak Executive Leadership Team, reporting to Adolfo Orive, President & CEO.
Holding a Master’s Degree in Industrial Design from the University of Florence and a Post-graduation Master’s in Technology and Innovation Management from the University of Bologna, Sara joined Tetra Pak in 2001 as an industrial designer for carton packaging opening systems. Her technical, relational and collaborative skills led her to become Managing Director for Tetra Pak Packaging Solutions S.p.A. in Modena, Italy, a research and development centre, and Vice President of Programme Management in D&T.
Sara De Simoni, Executive Vice President Development & Technology (D&T) at Tetra Pak, comments: “Tetra Pak D&T brings together an exceptionally talented team of designers, of doers, of people who make things happen. I am proud to be leading them in our journey to shape the future of food packaging, and I see this as an opportunity to drive forward our pursuit of innovation, design excellence and groundbreaking sustainable solutions. We will continue to focus on delivering those solutions for our customers, who are at the centre of everything we do.”
1A carton package made of renewable or recycled materials, which are responsibly sourced, therefore helping protect and restore our planet’s climate, resources and biodiversity; contributing towards low carbon production and distribution; convenient and safe, therefore helping to enable a resilient food system; fully recyclable.
There is a global call for reduced sugar that is shaking the JNSD world – particularly fruit juice production. Driven by consumer concerns about health and weight, and further burdened by sugar taxes and other regulations in a number of countries, how can you reduce the sugar level of juice products, while maintaining quality and consumer appeal?
You can dilute the juice, of course, but there are also technologies available to reduce the intrinsic sugars in the juice itself (mainly sucrose, glucose and fructose). These are membrane filtration, enzymatic sugar transformation, and yeast fermentation. Tetra Pak has invested in fermentation – with a special process that can reduce sugar to practically zero.
The new approach to this problem reduces sugar through controlled fermentation, followed by yeast removal and removal of the alcohol. The resulting juice with 0 % sugar can then be blended with normal juice to achieve any level of sugar reduction you desire.
The yeast Tetra Pak use has been specifically selected because of its history of safe use within the food industry, its suitability for sugar reduction in juice, and its fermentation efficiency and reproducibility.
A new white paper by Tetra Pak describes processing lines for fermentation, yeast removal and dealcoholisation, as well as final blending of fruit juices. The company explain why the monitoring of temperature, agitation and sugar levels is essential to an optimal and cost-effective process. Food-grade alcohol can be extracted from the process for various food and beverage applications, if desired.
The concept has been proven in technical and consumer tests, and offers you a broad opportunity to create an entirely new product category – reduced-sugar juices and drinks. The scope of creative blending is practically limitless.
Flow Beverage Corp. and BioSteel Sports Inc. have entered into a manufacturing agreement whereby Flow will manufacture and package BIOSTEEL-branded sport hydration beverages in the Tetra Prisma® format. Flow has been a manufacturer of BIOSTEEL-branded beverages since 2020. On December 1, 2023, BioSteel Sports, a recently incorporated company controlled by Dan Crosby, acquired from DC Holdings LTD certain assets that were previously owned by BioSteel Sports Nutrition Inc.
The Agreement has a term of three years, with commitments from BioSteel Sports to purchase minimum annual volumes (the “Minimum Annual Volumes”) which equate to approximately $19.3 million in revenue over the Term. Additionally, the Agreement has a take-or-pay provision requiring that BioSteel Sports pay Flow the equivalent of 80 % of the value of the difference between the applicable Minimum Annual Volume and the actual volume purchased during the relevant 12-month period over the Term. The Agreement provides for the committed purchase of 12 million units within the first 4 months of the Agreement, 1,062,500 averaged minimum committed purchases of packs per month for the remainder of current calendar year, and a cumulative minimum production of 24,000,000 packs for each subsequent calendar year under the Term.
Following successful commercial consumer testing in 2022, Tetra Pak and Lactogal have now launched an aseptic beverage carton featuring a paper-based barrier. This is part of a large-scale technology validation, involving around 25 million packages and currently ongoing in Portugal. Made of approximately 80 % paperboard, the package increases the renewable content to 90 %, reduces its carbon footprint by one third (33 %1) and has been certified as Carbon Neutral by the Carbon Trust™.2
Greenhouse gas emissions, food waste and plastic littering are cited as the top three environmental sustainability concerns facing food and beverage (F&B) businesses today, and this is expected to remain the case over the next five years.3 Packaging solutions like these, that expand the amount of paper and lower the carbon footprint, while ensuring food safety, can help the industry overcome these challenges.
In 2015, Tetra Pak was the first in the industry to introduce a package made fully from plant-based renewable materials – paperboard and sugarcane-based plastic. The Tetra Rex® Plant-based package, suitable for cold chain distribution, is fully renewable, and the company has delivered approximately 6.5 billion of these packages to customers around the world to date.
Now, the launch of the Tetra Brik® Aseptic 200 Slim Leaf carton with paper-based barrier, together with Lactogal, provides a package that can be distributed under ambient conditions, while hitting the 90% renewable content mark. This brings Tetra Pak one step closer to its ambition of a beverage carton made solely from responsibly sourced renewable or recycled materials, fully recyclable and carbon neutral. The company is aiming for industrial scale production of the solution by 2025.
1Certified by the Carbon Trust™ – benchmark: Tetra Brik® Aseptic 200 Slim Leaf carton package with aluminium foil layer. 2“Carbon neutral” means that, after reducing the CO2 emissions by converting the package’s fossil-based polymers into plant-based polymers to the highest possible extent, the residual CO2 emissions associated with the packaging manufacture are offset by funding Gold Standard-certified climate projects around the world. 3Tetra Pak B2B research on Planetary Challenges and their impact on F&B manufacturers’ operations (2023).
With a joint investment of around EUR 29 million by Tetra Pak and Stora Enso, a new recycling line for post-consumer beverage cartons is starting operations in Poland. The line has the potential to triple the annual recycling capacity of beverage cartons in the country – from 25,000 to 75,000 tonnes – and provides scope to absorb the entire volume of beverage cartons sold in Poland, as well as additional volumes from neighbouring countries, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.
Featuring an annual capacity of 50,000 tonnes, the state-of-the-art line at Stora Enso’s production unit in Ostrołęka (Poland) handles solely beverage carton material separation, detaching fibres from polymers and aluminium. The fibres are then recycled into cardboard materials, effectively contributing to material circularity by turning used paper-based packaging into new paper-based packaging materials. This new paper recycling facility is complemented by Czech company Plastigram Industries, that, together with Tetra Pak, is industrialising a solution to recycle polyAl1 into new products.
The new line is set to ramp up recycling of beverage cartons throughout Central and Eastern Europe, signaling the beverage carton industry’s willingness to support the circularity goals of the proposed EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), and showcasing the pivotal role of recycling in helping the green transition of the food packaging sector. The industry has already invested approximately EUR 200 million to increase the capacity for beverage carton recycling in the EU and plans to invest a further EUR 120 million by 2027.2
1The non-fibre component of carton packages is known as polyAl, which designates the layers of polyolefins and aluminium being used as barrier against oxygen and humidity to protect the food content in aseptic carton packages. 2https://www.beveragecarton.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ACE-Impact-assessment-study-of-an-EU-wide-collection-for-recycling-target-of-beverage-cartons-Roland-Berger.pdf
Tetra Pak® has been named as a European Climate Leader 2023 by the Financial Times, in recognition of the company’s progress in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and its robust commitments to climate action.
Of the thousands assessed by the Financial Times and Statista, only the leading 500 companies with the greatest reduction in their GHG emissions intensity made it to the final list.
Each company in the list has been assigned an individual score, which is calculated using information on the company’s volume of emissions, level of disclosure on these emissions and its reduction of emissions as a percentage.
Tetra Pak was ranked amongst the top 20 % of the 500 companies listed, achieving a 54.3 % absolute reduction of the Scope 1 and 2 emissions over a five-year period1. The ranking also recognises Tetra Pak’s efforts across the value chain (Scope 3), highlighting ist regular inclusion amongst CDP A-listed businesses and its net-zero targets as approved by Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) along a 1.5° pathway.
1CDP data 2016-2021
Aiming to provide fresh insights towards the company’s journey to develop the most sustainable food package
Tetra Pak has commenced ground-breaking research towards advancing fibre-based sustainable food packaging, in collaboration with MAX IV – the most modern synchrotron1 radiation laboratory in the world. The research aims to uncover fresh insights into the nanostructure of fibre materials, with the first application to optimise the composition of materials used for paper straws.
This is the very first industrial research and development experiment at ForMAX, a brand new research station dedicated to studying materials from the forest, located at the MAX IV Laboratory in Lund, Sweden.
As the global demand for safe, nutritious food intensifies, and the scarcity of raw materials increases, the need to develop more sustainable packaging solutions that use less of these scarce resources has become urgent. New materials based on paper will bring novel opportunities, but they need to remain food safe, recyclable, be more durable against liquids and humidity, while meeting the increased sustainability demands.
Eva Gustavsson, Vice President Materials & Package, Tetra Pak, says: “A fundamental understanding of the structure and properties of materials is crucial as we work towards developing the package of the future. Our ambition is to provide the world’s most sustainable food package, and experiments at ForMAX will clearly support us in this mission.
“The package of the future needs to be fully recyclable and have a low environmental impact. Using renewable materials and increasing the use of fibre-based material within packages will be vital. With this research, Tetra Pak is helping to uncover fresh insights into plant-based materials as a basis for future innovations.”
Kim Nygård, Manager, ForMAX beamline, MAX IV says: “The experiment conducted at ForMAX is a milestone for both academia and industry. The research station is the first of its kind and will facilitate both fundamental and applied industrial research on how new, sustainable materials can be used going forward. We are proud to support Tetra Pak in its development of sustainable packaging materials for the future.”
About Tree search The construction of ForMAX has been funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, and the operating costs are funded by the industry through Treesearch, a national collaborative platform for academic and industrial research in new materials from the forest. As an industrial partner in Treesearch, Tetra Pak is one of the initiators and facilitators of ForMAX.
1Synchrotron radiation is the electromagnetic radiation emitted when charged particles travel in curved paths perpendicular to their velocity
Stora Enso and Tetra Pak are jointly examining a shared beverage carton recycling solution to meet the growing recycling need in Benelux, responding to the demand for circular paper-based packaging solutions. The joint feasibility study includes a plan for a comprehensive beverage carton recycling facility at Stora Enso’s Langerbrugge site in Belgium. Processing of the fibers would take place at the Langerbrugge site, while the polymer and aluminum barrier materials would be recycled by a dedicated partner.
Approximately 75,000 tonnes of beverage cartons are put on the Benelux market annually, a growing volume of which more than 70 % is already collected for recycling. Currently, there is no existing beverage carton recycling infrastructure in Benelux. This collaboration between Stora Enso and Tetra Pak would create a complete recycling system for beverage cartons in Benelux and surrounding regions.
Within the solution, Stora Enso would process collected beverage cartons and recover the fibers. The recycled fibers would serve as source material for producing recycled containerboard within the Langerbrugge site, delivering a fully circular solution. Tetra Pak would secure a recycling solution for polymer and aluminum materials to be processed by a dedicated partner.
The recycling project is linked to Stora Enso’s recently announced feasibility study to potentially convert one of the Langerbrugge site’s paper lines into a high-volume recycled containerboard line. This feasibility study is expected to conclude in the first half of 2023. Upon on a decision to invest, the recycled containerboard line is expected to be in production during 2025. The joint study with Tetra Pak will follow the same timeline.
The proposed recycling line in Langerbrugge will initially process an estimated 50,000 tonnes of recycled cartons per year with the potential to increase.
“With this joint initiative, we underline our commitment to local recycling progress and improving infrastructure in Benelux, a region with high volumes of collected beverage cartons. Stora Enso is a trusted and important partner which has the know-how and experience we need in fiber recycling. Together with them, we have the potential to put in place a circular solution that helps us secure a world where a growing number of carton packages is collected, recycled and we can minimise litter” – Chakib Kara, Managing Director France & Benelux, Tetra Pak.
“At Stora Enso, we constantly pursue opportunities to deepen our commitment to a circular packaging future. Circularity advancement requires smart investments and collaboration with the right partners. By working jointly with Tetra Pak, we can simultaneously create value, enhance circularity, and grow our competitiveness.” – Markku Luoto, VP LPB Aseptic and CUK, Stora Enso.
Beverage cartons contain high-quality fresh fibers that are an excellent source material for producing recycled paper containerboard. The Langerbrugge site offers a strategically important location to enable a local paper-based packaging circularity solution. Further, beverage carton collection for recycling is already advanced in Benelux.
Cutting edge start-ups, technology companies and universities join hands with Tetra Pak to tackle challenges and unlock new opportunities for the Food & Beverage industry.
Ahead of the United Nations World Food Safety Day Tetra Pak announced its new set of research collaborations and programmes to further accelerate efforts to address challenges facing food systems worldwide. The initiative is part of the company’s drive to nurture an innovation ecosystem to open new opportunities in the areas of food availability, safety and sustainability.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation UN FAO, the world is in a very different place compared to six years ago, when it committed to the goal of ending hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition by 2030. The current reality is that we have not been progressing fast enough towards ensuring access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food for all people. As an example, over 2 billion people did not have access to enough safe and nutritious food in 2020.
Laurence Mott, Executive VP Development and Technology at Tetra Pak says: “Tetra Pak has been an early advocate of forming and strengthening links between academia and the food industry. We have several long-standing relationships with universities and research institutions. We’ve also been working with game changing start-ups and tech companies to accelerate innovation. Now more than ever this is vital. The challenges of the global food industry are broad and varied. The only way we can meet these challenges is to pool our expertise. Only together will we secure a better future in the areas of sustainability, food safety and food availability. I’m very happy to see the progress so far and will take this opportunity to thank all our partners”.
In an attempt to address challenges around food and sustainability, Tetra Pak is teaming up with entities across countries such as France, US, Sweden and Italy, among others, to explore different innovations across the food system. These includes a range of development programmes – from exploring new food categories, such as plant based food, to using enzymes that reduce food waste to advancing the insect protein movement.
Rodrigo Godoi, VP Processing Portfolio Management at Tetra Pak, says: “To drive innovation, we need to question status quo and keep pushing our boundaries, working together with external partners who bring fresh ideas and perspectives to the table. At Tetra Pak, we are continuously exploring new concepts, new food ingredients and new production methods that sit outside of our ‘core’ competencies. As an example, we have conducted over 300 screenings that resulted in more than 10 pilot projects to be researched. We encourage start-ups to come to us with their ideas as well as to join cross-industry teams to explore opportunities. We recognise the value in coming together with experts across an ecosystem in food, science and engineering to help identify new solutions and address challenges intensified by the changes in the food supply chain.
Dr Karim Engelmark Cassimjee, CEO at EnginZyme, said “The food industry faces many sustainability challenges, especially the ability to achieve efficient and sustainable production at the same time. The cell-free biomanufacturing that we have pioneered at EnginZyme can meet this need with its broad applicability, low cost of production, short development timelines and predictable scalability. Our collaboration with Tetra Pak is an incredibly exciting opportunity – in particular how we are exploring solutions to unlock the potential of by-products like acid whey”.
Some of the programmes announced include, France’s Paris&Co innovation platforms, Smart Food Paris and Urban Lab, technology start-ups EnginZyme, NuCaps and Tebrito and leading research universities in Italy and Sweden including University of Modena, Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE) and Lund University.
The new caps, introduced by BBL in Ireland, Cido Grupa in the Baltics, LY Company Group and Lactalis Puleva in Spain and Weihenstephan in Germany, have been designed to prevent litter and accelerate transition to renewable materials.
Joining forces with leading beverage producers, Tetra Pak is launching tethered caps on carton packages. Marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-term work on design for recycling, five new tethered cap solutions are currently being introduced across Ireland, the Baltics , Spain and Germany in different product categories – a market first for these geographies. As part of a wider programme, this development paves the way for Europe-based customers to stay ahead of schedule and meet the Single Use Plastics (SUP) Directive coming into force by 2024.
Julia Luscher (Photo: Tetra Pak)
Julia Luscher, Vice President Marketing, Tetra Pak, comments: “We are delighted to be supplying a number of customers with tethered cap solutions, helping them to ‘walk the talk’ towards their sustainability ambitions. Understanding our customers’ needs and having collected consumer insights through multiple pieces of research across various markets, our new tethered caps have been designed to enhance convenience. For instance, they are easy to open and re-close for subsequent consumption, while featuring carefully sized diameters for smooth pouring and drinking.”
Tethered caps play an important role in preventing litter, as the cap will stay attached to the package. They could also help reduce the carbon footprint of the carton when they are chosen by food manufacturers as plant-based options, made from polymers derived from responsibly sourced sugarcane, thereby increasing the renewable content of the package. Additionally, a majority of Tetra Pak’s tethered cap portfolio features a reduced amount of plastic. Depending on the various solutions, the company achieved a plastic content reduction ranging between 7 % and 15 %.
Marco Marchetti, Vice President Packaging Materials, Sales and Distribution Solutions, Tetra Pak, adds: “Starting with these five new introductions, we are planning to equip approximately 300 packaging lines with tethered caps in Europe by the end of 2022. Considering the scale of change required across the value chain, early collaborations like these are putting the food and beverage industry on a fast track to accelerate the transition to a low carbon circular economy.”
In May, Borrisoleigh Bottling Ltd (BBL) is set to start commercial production of the new plant-based C38 Pro tethered cap on Tetra Top® 330 and Tetra Top® 500 carton packages. Based in Ireland, BBL is an experienced and awarded water producer, who’s seeking ‘to lead the industry towards a more responsible and sustainable future’.
The new HeliCap 26™ Pro closure – on a Tetra Prisma® Aseptic 1000 Square package – is being tested since February 2022 in the Baltics with Cido Grupa, who is leading the juice segment in that region since many years and exporting its products to over 20 countries across the globe.
In Spain, LY Company Group – that is driving the growth of carton-packaged water in the country, with the mission of ‘reaching a turning point in which both society and companies are aware of the importance of choosing sustainable packaging for the conservation of the planet’ – will soon start commercial production of the new plant-based DreamCap™ 26 Pro closure on a Tetra Prisma® Aseptic 330 Square package.
In the same country, Lactalis Puleva – part of the Lactalis Group, a world leading dairy company – has chosen to test the new HeliCap™ 23 Pro closure. The cap, in its plant-based option, has been applied to Tetra Brik® Aseptic 1000 Slim packages for the brand Lauki, on shelf since March this year.
Weihenstephan, one of the oldest and most popular German dairy brands, will soon test the production of the new LightWing™ 30 closure, on a Tetra Brik® Aseptic 1000 Edge carton.
The company has also heavily invested towards an improved manufacturing experience for customers. Tetra Pak’s new high quality, automated production lines for tethered caps utilise Artificial Intelligence technology for increased efficiency.
Marco Marchetti (Foto: Tetra Pak)
Marchetti concludes: “We are on a journey towards creating the world’s most sustainable food package, a carton that is fully made from responsibly sourced renewable or recycled materials, is fully recyclable and carbon-neutral. We are ramping up investment in the development of alternative solutions across our packaging portfolio such as tethered caps and other drink-from systems, to reduce littering while increasing the renewable share of our cartons.”
“In total, we are investing around EUR 400 million in the development and roll-out of tethered cap solutions, including a EUR 100 million investment last year in our Châteaubriant plant in France to accelerate the production of tethered closures. By working seamlessly across multiple project streams and covering approximately 40 different packages with tethered caps, we expect to sell over 1.5 billion such closures by year end.”
Tetra Pak, in partnership with Elvir, a subsidiary of Savencia Fromage & Dairy – a world leading milk processor – has become the first carton packaging player in the food and beverage industry to launch a cap using certified recycled polymers.
This move marks a key step in both companies’ progress towards circularity. By helping to find an economically sound use for plastic waste and responsibly sourcing raw materials, Tetra Pak and Elvir continue to minimise their dependency on virgin, fossil-based resources.
Elle & Vire chose the HeliCap™ 23 cap solution to complement its cream products, which are distributed in Tetra Brik® Aseptic 1 l Slim carton packages. This one-step resealable screwcap is manufactured at Tetra Pak’s Châteaubriant plant in Loire-Atlantique, France – a site that has been awarded the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) Advanced Products certification and boosted by a EUR 100 million investment to accelerate the transition to the production of tethered caps. The HeliCap™ 23 cap offers consumers ease of opening and features a clearly visible tamper evidence ring, providing reassurance that the product hasn’t been opened before.
The new caps using attributed recycled polymers are manufactured under the RSB chain of custody attribution method. This means that the plastics are made of a mix of recycled and non-recycled materials, with the corresponding mass of recycled materials tracked throughout the Tetra Pak supply chain. This is verified by a third-party auditor according to the RSB Chain of Custody Procedure, which forms part of the RSB Advanced Products certification.
An SIG-backed beverage carton recycling project has won a A$1.74 million grant from the Federal and New South Wales (NSW) Government towards setting up a A$5 million facility that will turn post-consumer beverage cartons and paper cups into high performance building material. The project is funded by the Australian Government’s Recycling Modernisation Fund and the NSW Government’s Waste Less, Recycle More initiative.
The Australian and NSW Governments and the companies behind the project expect the facility will create confidence in a new market for recycled construction materials, similar to roads made from recycled glass, and enable more packaging to become 100 per cent recyclable, in line with Australian national packaging targets.
The project is the first collaboration between SIG and Tetra Pak in Australia under the umbrella of the Global Recycling Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (GRACE) and is a joint initiative with saveBOARD and its supporters Freightways and Closed Loop.
The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) says this is a fantastic step forward for beverage cartons and for the brands and consumers that use this important type of packaging.
saveBOARD co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Paul Charteris says making high-performance low-carbon building materials using 100 % recycled materials from everyday waste is a game-changer that will transform the construction industry in Australia.
The first Australian saveBOARD plant will reprocess liquid paperboard beverage containers, including both aluminium-lined aseptic packages and non-aluminium-lined containers collected through the container deposit scheme and coffee cups collected through the ‘Simply Cups’ recycling program. It will also source material from document recycling company Shred-X.
Together with supplementary material from industrial processes, these items will be used to manufacture high-performance low-carbon building products to substitute plaster board, particle board, and oriented strand board (OSB) that can be used for interior and exterior applications.
The saveBOARD process uses heat and compression to bond materials, eliminating the need for glues or other chemical additives, to produce a clean product with zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs), suitable for use in homes and commercial buildings.
Tetra Pak announces a project to expand its Châteaubriant plant, in France, dedicated to the design and manufacturing of caps, while ensuring increased production capacity to enable the future transition to tethered caps.
Tetra Pak announced an ambitious investment program dedicated to its factory in Châteaubriant, specialised in the production of caps. Spanning across a three-year period (late 2021-2023), this €100 million project will support the plant’s transition to the production of tethered caps by 2024. Tethered caps help to minimise litter, as the cap will stay attached to the package.
This step – that is in addition to the company’s commitment to invest approximately €100 million per year over the next 5 – 10 years to develop more sustainable packaging solutions – is key to ensuring that Tetra Pak’s customers in Europe will be ready to comply with the Single Use Plastics (SUP) Directive, an integral part of the wider approach announced in the Plastics Strategy and an important element of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan.
Charles Brand, President of Tetra Pak Europe & Central Asia, comments: “We are particularly proud of this investment project, which demonstrates how we consistently strive to provide customers with sustainable innovations and meet the rapidly changing demands of regulators and society. High-performance food packaging plays a critical role in feeding the world, but it must do so sustainably, so that food availability does not come at the cost of the planet.”
The Châteaubriant plant is a key manufacturing facility for Tetra Pak, serving food and beverage manufacturers globally, with a production capacity of approximately 5 billion caps in 2020. Awarded last year with the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) Advanced Products certification, the factory is also equipped to produce additional materials integrating attributed recycled polymers. Today, the site covers an area of over 30,000 sqm and features 19 lines dedicated to the manufacture of 6 types of caps.
The investment will be spread over two phases. The first one begins in late 2021, where the company will enlarge the industrial site to accommodate a 30 % increase in manufacturing capacity through the installation of ten additional lines that will be dedicated to the production of tethered caps. Then, between 2022 and 2023, approximately 50 % of the existing lines will be replaced, again to expand the access of F&B players to tethered caps.
Tetra Pak announced it is ready to deploy its portfolio of tethered cap solutions. The portfolio brings numerous benefits to food and beverage manufacturers and consumers, as the company builds on its vision of the most sustainable food package. These benefits include minimising litter, as the cap will stay attached to the package. The carbon footprint can also be reduced because the company’s tethered caps are planned to become available as a plant-based option, therefore increasing the renewable content of the package.
U-paper straw on Tetra Pak carton package (Photo: Tetra Pak)
In tandem, the company is accelerating the expansion of its paper straws offering to ensure further renewable and low carbon materials across the range of packaging solutions. The aim of this is to address a broad range of customer sustainability needs without compromising on food safety, while still delivering on the end-user drinking experience.
Lars Holmquist, Executive Vice President Packaging Solutions and Commercial Operations, Tetra Pak, says: “These are key milestones in our journey towards the world’s most sustainable food package: a carton that is fully made from renewable or recycled materials, is fully recyclable and carbon-neutral. We consistently strive to deliver products and services that adds value to food and people while protecting the planet. Our promise, ‘PROTECTS WHAT’S GOOD™,’ allied with this strong purpose means we are providing customers with innovative products that also meet the rapidly changing demands of society.”
Tetra Pak’s tethered caps and paper straws developments mark the latest additions to its range of responsible end-to-end solutions, allowing manufacturers to achieve their ambitions in three essential areas – food safety, food waste and the environment – simultaneously.
Lars Holmquist (Photo: Tetra Pak)
Holmquist continues: “Approximately 32 % of all plastic packaging is not collected and plastic can take hundreds of years to degrade[1]. We focus on recycling by design, committing to invest approximately € 100 million per year over the next 5 – 10 years to develop more sustainable packaging solutions. This includes alternatives to replace fossil-based plastics and avoid littering, as well as maximising the use of renewable, responsibly sourced materials in our packages. Addressing people’s needs for recycling is a critical component for not only becoming more sustainable but making food more available and safer for all consumers.”
These steps are also central to ensuring that Tetra Pak’s customers in Europe will be ready to comply with the Single Use Plastics (SUP) Directive, an integral part of the wider approach announced in the Plastics Strategy and an important element of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan[2].
With this in mind, Tetra Pak has accelerated innovation in the caps domain. Holmquist adds: “The significant challenge of deploying tethered caps is the scale of the change that this brings across the value chain. If we look at Europe alone, more than 1,000 packaging lines supplied by us will be potentially transformed, translating into over 20 billion packages which are expected to be converted. All of that in three years, while minimising impact on our customers’ operations, optimising the consumer experience and contributing to both minimising litter and creating a carton package with increased plant-based and recycled content.”
Tetra Pak is progressing on this complex journey by working seamlessly across various project streams. Overall, this covers approximately 40 different packages with tethered caps. Those caps are all planned to become available as a plant-based option. The first one to be released on the market is the HeliCap™ 26 Pro closure. This product features a new screw and flip concept with a self-locking hinge, securing food protection while providing convenience for in-home consumption. Its opening and closing mechanism has proven popular with consumers, demonstrating that the solution is delivering further benefits in addition to meeting legislative requirements[3].
Holmquist concludes: “We won’t stop here. We are continuously innovating our sustainable openings offering. We envision a world where carton packages never become waste and where every carton is collected and recycled.”
[1]Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation, https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/ [2]Main objective of Directive 2019/904 is the prevention and reduction of marine litter from single-use plastic items. The implementation of this directive into EU member states’ national legislation will lead to a ban of selected products from the market, whenever affordable alternatives are available, among other measures. While bans on plastic straws will come into force by July 2021, EU-based beverage producers, retailers and manufacturers, as well as importers, are obliged to implement tethered caps and lids – designed to remain attached to containers – by July 2024. [3]Source: consumer research conducted in Spain, Italy and Poland in November 2019, with 300 consumers through face to face interviews, focussed on HeliCap™ 26 Pro opening on Tetra Prisma® Aseptic 1000 Square package.
Revolutionised process treats beverages in two separate streams using a combination of Pasteurization, Filtration, and UV technology
Tetra Pak launched a new, first-of-its-kind low-energy processing line for juice, nectar and still drinks (JNSD) to take beverage processing to a new level of efficiency. Innovatively using a unique combination of Pasteurization, Filtration and UV Light technology to treat beverages in two separate streams, which are aseptically blended together into the final beverage.
Instead of pasteurizing the whole volume of the product, the new production line separates out water and pasteurizes only the concentrate. Water is treated separately with Filtration and UV Light which requires a lot less energy. In the new JNSD line customers reduce energy consumption up to 67 % and water consumption used for cleaning-in-place, sterilisation and product change-over is cut up to 50 %.
Maria Norlin, Subcategory Manager JNSD & Other Beverages, Tetra Pak said: “We realised that we needed to rethink JNSD processing and find a more sustainable solution, that at the same time still provides a high level of food safety & quality assurance for our customers. The launch of our new low-energy JNSD processing line, ‘Best Practice Line for JNSD with Aseptic Blending’, illustrates how we are innovating with traditional processing methods in pursuit of more sustainable and efficient solutions. Our decision to split the existing JNSD line into two separate processing streams for treatment allows us to offer our customers processing options that can help them achieve their climate goals, and enables the industry to contribute towards global sustainability efforts.”
The company announces commitment to reach net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in its own operations by 2030, with the ambition to achieve net zero GHG emissions for the entire value chain by 2050
Tetra Pak reconfirms its strategic priority in driving the sustainability transformation by setting an ambition for net zero emissions across the value chain by 2050, supporting this with an intermediate 2030 target of net zero carbon emissions across its own operations. The company will also set emissions reduction targets in line with 1.5°C according to the Science Based Targets (SBT) initiative across scopes 1, 2 and 3.
Tetra Pak was founded on the idea that a package should save more than it costs, with sustainability always at the core of how the company operates as a business. Since 1999, the company has been collecting data on energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from across the organisation on an annual basis, with its GHG accounts audited by an independent third party since 2013.
Lars Holmquist (Photo: Tetra Pak)
Lars Holmquist, Executive Vice President Packaging Solutions and Commercial Operations at Tetra Pak, said: “We have consistently delivered on our climate goals, right from the first goal set in 2002, again in 2005 and we are on track to meet our 2020 goal. In 2017, we were the first company in the food and beverage industry to have our climate impact reduction targets approved by the SBT initiative. More recently, we joined the European Alliance for Green Recovery, the first pan-European call for mobilisation on post-crisis green investment solutions. Today, we’re once again leading the way by setting ambitious net zero emissions targets that will drive transformation right across our sector and the entire value chain. The planet’s greatest environmental challenge demands nothing less from us.”
Tetra Pak will focus on four key areas to reach net zero GHG emissions across its own operations by 2030, and to realise its 2050 ambition along the entire value chain:
Lowering energy-related emissions through energy conservation, improvements in energy efficiency, installing on site solar photovoltaics (solar PV) and purchasing renewable energy. Since 2011, Tetra Pak has invested over €16 million in energy efficiency, preventing energy use from increasing by 23% over this period. To date the company has installed approximately 2.7 MW of solar PV (or about 8000 panels), delivering low carbon electricity whilst saving operational costs. A member of the RE100 initiative, Tetra Pak has gone from 20% use of renewable electricity in 2014 to 69% in 2019, and it is on track to achieve its 2020 target of 80%. This journey included the installation of solar panels across its operations and the purchasing of renewable certificates, with the company being one of the first to do so in countries such as Thailand and South Africa.
Partnering with suppliers and other stakeholders along the value chain to significantly reduce carbon footprint. Tetra Pak is working with suppliers to cut upstream carbon emissions, including setting ambitious renewable energy targets and increasing the use of renewable and recycled materials, which are critical to make a low carbon circular economy possible.
Accelerating the development of its low carbon circular packaging and equipment portfolio and working to help customers achieve their emission reduction targets. A step change in investment levels in sustainable innovation is helping the company to realise its ambition of a fully recyclable package made solely from renewable or recycled materials as well as to offer processing and packaging lines with minimal carbon footprint.
Developing sustainable recycling value chains, via collaboration with customers, waste management companies, recyclers, municipalities, industry associations and equipment suppliers. Tetra Pak’s vision is that all beverage cartons can be collected for recycling, and zero beverage cartons become litter or are sent to landfill.
Lars Holmquist concluded: “Ten years ago we set a climate goal to cap our 2020 impact across the value chain at 2010 levels, while growing the business. This helped us save 12 million tonnes of GHG emissions to date. We believe that our ability to set and demonstrate progress in line with science and societal expectations, our innovation drive and the collaborative approach across the value chain put us all on the right path to achieve our new ambition.”
Tetra Pak has announced its acquisition of South African based asset management company Gaussian to enhance its existing outcome-based solutions1 for customers.
The acquisition is a result of a longstanding relationship between Tetra Pak and Gaussian. The companies have previously collaborated to develop and deploy plant-wide performance analysis services. These include benchmarking and opportunity analysis to identify cost saving and efficiency opportunities, delivered through services such as Tetra Pak® Plant Secure launched in 2018.
Tetra Pak’s customers will now have access to solutions based on industry physical asset management best practices. This enables them to maximise the value they can create in their factories through an informed ‘data-driven’ approach towards increasing efficiencies and reducing costs.
Roberto Franchitti, Executive Vice President Services, said: “Tetra Pak Services aims to be the world’s leading provider of Services to the Liquid Food industry, at the forefront of technology to help our customers excel in quality and performance. The acquisition of Gaussian is a perfect addition to the Tetra Pak Services portfolio; their industry leading suite of tools, analytical and simulation capabilities means we can help our customers optimise their operations and competitiveness even more than ever. I am very excited by the opportunities this acquisition brings both for Tetra Pak Services and for the industry in general.”
Dean Griffin, Director Gaussian commented: “Having worked closely with Tetra Pak for a number of years, the decision to join the company was a natural one. We see more opportunities opening up by combining our respective areas of expertise. Tetra Pak’s unrivalled experience within the F&B industry and our knowledge of strategic modelling means we will be able to offer real business improvements for Tetra Pak’s customers.’
Founded in 2015, Gaussian has extensive international experience in asset management. The firm has delivered its services to a range of sectors including mining, power, infrastructure and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). Gaussian also played a leading role in drafting ISO 55000, 55001, 55002, the first set of international standards for asset management.
1Outcome-based solutions provide quantifiable and measurable value to Tetra Pak’s customers. This is achieved through services that improve plant efficiency, optimise processes, reduce costs and as a result generate growth opportunities.
Tetra Pak unveiled the food and beverage (F&B) industry’s first full-scale virtual marketplace. The new platform, created using Mirakl SaaS Marketplace solutions, will bring convenience and ease to the industry by making purchasing of products faster, more convenient and simpler for producers.
The collaboration is the first time Mirakl will work within the F&B sector, providing a service that will change how buyers and sellers operate. The marketplace will initially host more than 300,000 spare parts and consumables from Tetra Pak, adding an additional 200,000 products for maintenance, repair and operations from vetted sellers, providing customers with access to a large variety of products.
The launch dramatically expands what Tetra Pak offers to its customers. The marketplace, available 24/7, will host several vendors selling products within Safety & Security, Industrial Supplies, Cleaning Solutions and other vital areas for F&B production. The number and variety of products will continue to grow as more vendors join the marketplace.
About Mirakl Mirakl is powering the platform economy by providing the technology, expertise, and partner ecosystem needed to launch an eCommerce marketplace. With the Mirakl Marketplace Platform, both B2B and B2C businesses can offer more, learn more and sell more: increase the number of products available for buyers, grow the lifetime value of customers, and anticipate buyer needs and preferences.
The IFU (International Fruit and Vegetable Juice Association) has, once again, awarded one company from the juice industry and one person for his long standing active support of the juice industry: Tetra Pak received the “IFU Award for Innovation” for their production concept solution combining UV and filtration technology, Mr. Hans Jürgen Hofsommer received the “IFU Award for Significant Contribution”. Both awards were presented during this years` Juice Summit Gala Dinner in Antwerp, Belgium.
Mr. Hans Jürgen Hofsommer is the founder of GfL laboratory in Berlin, dedicated to serving the juice industry with expert analysis. He has been a long standing member and supporter of IFU being the Methods of Analysis (MAC) chair in the 1980’s and 1990’s developing the extensive catalogue of IFU methods of analysis. He truly is a dedicated contributor to the juice industry.
Maria Norlin accepted the award on behalf of Tetra Pak and gave the worlds` first presentation on this technology combining UV and filtration at the IFU Technical Workshop in Athens earlier this year.
Maria Norlin has worked at Tetra Pak Processing Systems since 2008 across different areas of expertise, such as technical product management within Mixing, Blending, Dosing, as well as product management within Heating.
Maria is currently leading a team of food technologists and product managers responsible for developing and managing the Tetra Pak JNSD Processing Portfolio and technology expertise. She has a Master of Science in Chemical Biology, with a focus on Bioprocess Engineering from Linköpings University, Institute of Technology in Sweden.
Tetra Pak`s technology utilises sterile filtration in conjunction with heat processing for juice, nectar and still drinks which reduces energy consumption by 2/3rds.
As one of the only industries that can connect environment at a personal level to the individual, by also talking about health, Food and Beverage brands have an opportunity to drive change through the way they communicate with consumers on these converging topics, to meet this growing and pressing need.
This year’s global research study conducted by Tetra Pak, in partnership with Ipsos, investigates the convergence of health and environment and reveals six new segments of consumers. Each group has unique attitudes around both health and environment, which present clear opportunities for targeted products and messaging for Food and Beverage brands.
Portuguese food and beverage company Sumol+Compal has launched its premium brand Compal in Tetra Pak’s sleek, fresh new Tetra Stelo™ Aseptic 1000 Edge with Bio-based WingCap™ 30.
The uniquely-designed package will allow Sumol+Compal to bring to market a range of popular juices distinguished by an easy-grip carton, one-step opening and with a smoothly-rounded, slim shape. The new Tetra Stelo™ Aseptic package also helps brands like Sumol+Compal differentiate themselves from competitors, better share information about the brand and its products, and attract new customers.
Diogo Dias, Head of Marketing of Sumol+Compal said: “With a large and smooth-bodied branding surface, the Tetra Stelo™ Aseptic package offers a contemporary look to rejuvenate our brand and add a novelty element to this everyday product, also enhancing on-shelf differentiation. Its lighter weight and FSC™ certification are totally aligned with our vision to contribute to a more environmentally friendly world.”
Now more than ever consumers are looking to buy from brands that share their values, companies today are competing to make product information and company values more accessible, and to connect with consumers wherever they are—whether that’s at home, at work, or on the go. Therefore, in addition to offering customers like Sumol+Compal a sleek, fresh design, Tetra Pak has designed the Tetra Stelo™ Aseptic carton in a way that offers brands a large, continuous surface perfect for branding, storytelling and the nutrition information that today’s consumers demand.
Alejandro Cabal, VP Packaging Solutions, Tetra Pak, said: “In our fast-moving world, communications and marketing are becoming ever more challenging. In order to be able to drive value to consumers, brands need all the tools in the marketing mix, and, as such, packaging becomes a key feature in any desired product. The Tetra Stelo™ Aseptic carton package is a part of a consumer solution that our customers can use to share their story, helping consumers pick products and have a better experience from using them.”
As part of Tetra Pak’s ambition to deliver packages that contribute to a low carbon circular economy, the Tetra Stelo™ Aseptic is recyclable, FSC™ certified and has the option for customers to use a plant-based cap made from polymers, which are derived from sugar cane. With an increasing number of consumers now recognising the FSC™ label and opting for plant-based products, the package meets the needs of the environmentally conscious consumer.
Duarte Pinto, CEO of Sumol+Compal said: “We are delighted to pack our products in the new Tetra Stelo™ Aseptic. It is an environmentally sound package, thanks to its light weight and cap made from sugar cane, a renewable resource. It offers excellent functionality for consumers to hold and pour from because of its ergonomic shape. Compal is the first brand to launch products in Tetra Stelo Aseptic worldwide, true to the spirit of innovation to make our products stand out and offer consumers the best experience every day.”
The new range of packages starts at 1000ml, with new sizes being added to the family soon. The Tetra Stelo™ Aseptic 1000 Edge with Bio-based WingCap™ 30 is already available in Portugal, and will be rolled out in Poland, Romania and Brazil markets.
Company will put its paper straw innovations into the public domain to encourage industry collaboration, and will also explore bio-degradable materials
Tetra Pak has today announced that customers have started field testing its paper straws for beverage products in Europe. The move means Tetra Pak is the first carton packaging company to provide such straws for beverage cartons in the region.
The company also announced its intention to publish and share its innovations on paper straw developments to support industrial collaboration on the alternatives to single use plastic straws for beverage cartons.
Adolfo Orive, President and CEO, Tetra Pak said: “We are pleased to have developed a paper straw that is fully functional and meets internationally recognised food safety standards. This is an important step in our vision to deliver a package made entirely from plant-based packaging materials, contributing to a low-carbon circular economy.
“We have decided not to apply for patent protection on the numerous technical improvements we have made on the equipment and the materials, and instead put our innovations into the public domain. For the industry to achieve its common goal of driving towards a low-carbon circular economy, the entire supply base for paper straws must expand and grow quickly. We invite all suppliers and customers to use our knowledge and join forces with us to ramp up production as quickly as possible.”
Made from FSC™ certified paper and recyclable with the rest of the package, the new paper straw will be available initially for two small size carton packages commonly used for dairy and beverage products for children: Tetra Brik® Aseptic 200 Base and Tetra Brik® Aseptic 200 Base Crystal.
The field testing of the paper straw is beginning with limited volumes while the company increases production capacity at its straw plant in Lisbon, Portugal.
The company also announced that it has been assessing technical advancements and working with a number of technology leaders to explore biodegradable options, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), a polymer derived from plant-based materials which is also biodegradable.
Other sustainable drink-from development projects in Tetra Pak’s pipeline include tethered caps and integrated drink-from systems. The company has mobilised development and supply chain teams, securing extra resources to advance these priority plans.
Cartons will become full-scale data carriers and digital tools
Tetra Pak announced the launch of its connected packaging platform, which will transform milk and juice cartons into interactive information channels, full-scale data carriers and digital tools.
Driven by the trends behind Industry 4.0, and with code generation, digital printing and data management at its core, the connected packaging platform will bring new benefits to food producers, retailers and shoppers.
For producers, the new packaging platform will offer end-to-end traceability to improve the production of the product, quality control and supply chain transparency. It will have the ability to track and trace the history or location of any product, making it possible to monitor for market performance and any potential issues.
For retailers, it will offer greater supply chain visibility and real-time insights, enabling distributors to track stock movements, be alerted when issues occur, and monitor for delivery performance.
For shoppers, it will mean the ability to access vast amounts of information such as where the product was made, the farm that the ingredients came from and where the package can be recycled.
Ivan Nesterenko, Vice President, Cross Portfolio at Tetra Pak said: “We are unlocking new opportunities for our customers to get more value from packaging than even before. No longer is it only about product protection and functionality, it is about connectivity. The future of packaging is undoubtedly digital: this launch is a step towards a truly intelligent package, and we are excited to collaborate with our customers on this journey.”
Tetra Pak has successfully completed pilots with its customers to test the new connected package and its performance in retail in Spain, Russia, China, the Dominican Republic and India, working with beverage, juice and milk producers. In Spain a customer increased their sales by 16% through the scan and win campaign.
Tetra Pak announced the appointment of Charles Brand to the position of President of Tetra Pak Europe & Central Asia (E&CA) Region and he will continue to be a member of the company’s Global Leadership Team.
Charles joined Tetra Pak in 1985 as an Electronics Development Engineer and has since held several key senior roles in the company, like Vice President of R&D for Tetra Rex® , Managing Director of one of the key business units of Tetra Pak and Managing Director Tetra Pak Taiwan, before taking on his last position as Executive Vice President, Product Management & Commercial Operations. On his appointment, Charles Brand said, “I am delighted to lead our activities in the E&CA region. This role is a great opportunity for me to continue to position Tetra Pak as a leader in the industry and in supporting the evolving needs of our customers across the region, with a focus on our common sustainability and digitalisation agendas.” Charles holds an MSC in Electrical Engineering degree from the Technical University of Lund in Sweden.
Every six packages form a cube, optimising use of space in transportation and storage
Tetra Pak today launched the Tetra Classic® Aseptic 65 ml Cube package, offering an efficient packaging solution for dairy, juice and liquid food.
The dimensions of the package have been designed to allow every six packages to form a cube, hence optimising the use of space in distribution and storage. This has brought significant improvement in cost efficiencies and the environmental footprint.
The package adds to the company’s Tetra Classic Aseptic family, the tetrahedron packages known for their minimal use of packaging materials.
Compared to the traditional Tetra Classic Aseptic 65 ml packages, the new package requires less secondary packaging and needs approximately 40 % less space to transport the same quantity of products. This means food can now be delivered safely over longer distances, at lower cost, and made available to consumers at an affordable price.
Hemant Krashak, Product Director at Tetra Pak said, “With its robust food protection, minimal use of materials, and efficiency in distribution, the Tetra Classic Aseptic 65 ml Cube package provides a simple answer to the rising need of environmentally sound packages while saving cost for manufacturers. Many customers with existing Tetra Classic Aseptic filling machines can easily switch to this new package with limited investment.”
The new package is now available with hand packing for secondary boxes. It has been in use since December 2018 at a customer in Southeast Asia selling coconut milk as a cooking ingredient in markets where logistics infrastructure is a challenge.
The Tetra Laval Group Board has appointed Mr Adolfo Orive, President & CEO of Tetra Pak effective April 1, 2019. The appointment follows the decision by Mr Dennis Jönsson to step down from his position after 14 years as President & CEO and 36 years with the company.
Adolfo Orive, presently Cluster Vice President North Central and South America, joined Tetra Pak in 1993. Prior to his present position he has had several managerial positions in the Group, including Managing Director of Colombia, Spain and Cluster Vice President North and Central Europe. He joined the Tetra Pak Global Leadership Team in 2014.
Mr Orive, who is 55 years old, has a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering at Ibero-American University (IBERO), Mexico and a Master’s in Business Administration at Mexico Autonomous Institute of Technology (ITAM), Mexico.
Tetra Pak has joined forces with global resource management company Veolia in a game-changing partnership that will enable all components of used beverage cartons collected within the European Union to be recycled by 2025.
The average beverage carton comprises around 75 % paperboard, 20 % plastic and 5 % aluminium foil. But while the fibres recovered during recycling have a healthy market when converted into high-quality paper pulp for use in both industrial and consumer products, the same is not true for the recovered polymer and aluminium (PolyAl) mix.
Within the scope of the new partnership, the extracted PolyAl will be processed at dedicated facilities and converted into raw materials for applications within the plastic industry. In this way, the overall value of used beverage cartons is expected to double, making the value chain for collection and recycling more efficient and viable.
The Tetra Pak and Veolia partnership will start in the EU and expand to more markets around the world.
World’s first fully renewable package featured in new display at the Museum of Brands
Tetra Pak has now delivered more than half a billion packs of Tetra Rex® Bio-based, the world’s first beverage carton to be manufactured entirely from renewable materials. The landmark event was announced at the Museum of Brands, in London, where the package, is featured in a new sustainability display, opened to the public end of February.
Tetra Rex® Bio-based, which was launched in October 2014, is manufactured solely from Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC™) certified and controlled sources paperboard, together with plastics derived from sugar cane, all traceable to their origins.
Packages made from renewable materials are essential for preserving the environment for future generations. Renewable resources can be replenished naturally over time and enable a move away from fossil fuel-based materials, reducing the environmental impact as well as improving resource efficiency.
The Sustainable Packaging display opened at the Museum of Brands, and will be showing a selection of initiatives that help reduce the burden of packaging on the environment.
A new edition of Tetra Pak’s Orange Book is now available free online.
Alongside the latest technologies and consumer insights, the book points to a recent Tetra Pak study that shows how small the impact of pasteurization is on the levels of vitamin C in orange juice. On average, the process reduces the amount of vitamin C by less than 2 %, the report notes.
Maria Norlin, Juice, Nectars and Still Drinks Sub-category Manager at Tetra Pak said, “Juice remains a significant part of the average consumer diet around the world. Our studies show that pasteurization causes minimal impact on vitamin C retention while securing a safer product with longer shelf life for the consumer. We hope this gives customers the evidence they need to communicate the nutritional values of orange juice with consumers.”
Drawing on the company’s 60 years’ experience in juice processing and its global expertise, the Tetra Pak Orange Book is the only book available that covers the entire orange juice production chain, from quality control of the fruits to regional consumer insights.
The book is free to read http://orangebook.tetrapak.com/.
From tree to table – the juice journey
Thanks to its rich taste and wholesome benefits, orange juice is the world’s favourite juice beverage. The Orange Book is your comprehensive guide to orange juice production – from tree to table.
Freshly updated with the latest market data and new illustrations, the Orange Book presents new findings on vitamin C retention and optimized pasteurization temperatures, along with developments in high-pressure processing and cleaning-in-place. It documents significant changes in the juice market and includes up-to-date research on orange juice consumption patterns in key regions.
The book also covers new regulatory standards and examines how online retail trends and grocery outlet diversification impact distribution and packaging requirements.
