Climate-smart packaging extends the shelf life of food
Published: March 29, 2022, 9:00 AM Updated: March 30, 2022, 3:08 p.m.The packaging industry needs to reduce its climate footprint. Creating lasting value for the entire supply chain requires both a reduction in the proportion of fossil-based materials and a reduction in the amount of food waste. The solution is already available on the market today through a packaging solution from Rottneros Packaging where food shelf life is extended while recycling packaging is simplified. – In recent years, we have seen a strong increase in demand for sustainable product alternatives, especially food packaging solutions, from both brand owners and consumers. Today, we can deliver climate-smart packaging solutions for refrigerated and frozen goods that meet unique functionality requirements. This means that we can help our customers extend the shelf life of food while it is possible to reduce their plastic use by up to 90 percent, says Jesper Jansson, site manager at Rottneros Packaging. Extended shelf life on the grocery shelfBy using environmentally friendly food trays with a high barrier, brand owners can ensure that the food is protected and kept fresh throughout the supply chain. The expected shelf life on the grocery shelf in the store is a full 30 days. – We use mechanical pulp for our packaging solutions, which means that we can produce a very light and dimensionally stable product that with the right barrier can be made gas-tight, functionality that previously only traditional plastic can handle. The packaging can be heated in a microwave and oven up to 220 degrees and when used it is sorted in the paper recycling. The forest raw material used for the packaging comes from certified pine and spruce forest within a radius of 100 kilometers. – The certification means that we have full insight into the supply chain, and that the raw material is traceable. With our breeding process, just over 97 percent of the tree can be extracted, which is very high. We only choose raw materials that we consider sustainable for each application, therefore we have also actively chosen to distance ourselves from persistent chemicals and additives, such as fluorochemicals (PFAS), which are considered harmful to both humans and nature. A matter of course for us, says Jesper Jansson.Reduces the proportion of fossil-based materialsThe collaboration with Arctic Paper, which began in the autumn of 2021, means that the companies will build a factory for molded fiber trays in Kostrzyn, Poland. – The new factory means shorter transports to our customers in Central Europe, which results in reduced carbon dioxide emissions. At the same time, we get better access to the broad market. The increased production capacity also means that it is no longer difficult or expensive for brand owners to choose a climate-smart solution over today’s fossil-based alternatives. – Our goal is to expand our capacity with 80 million packages that will begin distribution at the end of 2023. If we reach our goal, the proportion of fossil-based materials in the food industry can be reduced by about 85-90 percent. That would be absolutely fantastic, says Jesper Jansson.About RottnerosRottneros is an independent producer of market pulp. The Group consists of the parent company Rottneros AB, listed on Nasdaq Stockholm, with the subsidiaries Rottneros Bruk and Vallviks Bruk, active in the production and sale of market pulp. The group also includes Rottneros Packaging, which manufactures fiber trays, the raw material procurement company Rottneros Baltic in Latvia and the forest player Nykvist Skogs. The Group has approximately 318 employees and sales of approximately SEK 2.3 billion during the financial year 2021. Read more about Rottneros Packaging here The article is produced by Brand Studio in collaboration with Rottneros and not an article by Dagens industri
