Coveris to showcase lightweight dairy packaging for shelf life enhancements at FachPack 2022
06 Sep 2022 --- Coveris is bringing its latest dairy packaging solutions to FachPack 2022 in Nuremberg, Germany (27-29 September). The packaging materials range – including barrier films, pre-made packs, peelable and reclosable lidding films and thermoforming films – support environmental sustainability demands with weight reductions and shelf life enhancements as well as visual appeal.
“Our mission is to deliver major benefits in line with customers’ sustainable commitments as well as our own plastic and food waste reduction targets. That is why we offer real innovation with no downsides to freshness or performance for technically challenging, extended shelf life products,” says Eric Valette, BU Innovation Director at Coveris.
Fighting food and packaging waste
Traditionally, grated cheese has been packaged in mixed nylon laminate pouches – one of the hardest to recycle materials. Driven by Coveris’ R&D capabilities across extrusion, film and food science and conversion, it has developed a first-of-its-kind reduced plastic, recyclable PE barrier monolaminate for cheese under its MonoFlexBE brand.
The packs offer significant material savings per pack, with the supplier launching the solution with several leading retailers in the UK, including Tesco and Iceland. Most recently, the lightweight packs have helped support Iceland’s commitment to becoming the UK’s first plastic-neutral supermarket with a total plastic weight saving of around 7 tons per annum, while 41 tons of plastic are now “easily recyclable.”
Coveris’ packaging solutions are designed to meet the latest environmental sustainability demands.
A similar project was launched earlier with Tesco supermarkets in the UK, where Coveris helped deliver a total plastic weight saving of 32 tons.
Visitors at FachPack 2022 can also experience first-hand the benefits of Coveris reclosable and peelable films. Using PE, PP or PET co-ex films offers the same high-quality product protection while increasing the consumer convenience and pack functionality due to burst peel layer and reclose options (up to 10 times).
Delivering tailor-made solutions
At FachPack, Coveris will also present a yogurt die-cut lid film made of PP. By replacing the standard aluminum foil, the lid can be recycled in the same stream as the rest of the yogurt cup, increasing the recycling rate.
Moreover, this recyclable alternative offers the same barrier properties required by typical yogurt films, is temperature-resistant, and ensures the posts can be stacked and transported in a safe and stable way. As a result, the change from aluminum foil to polypropylene film does not affect the shelf life of the yogurt cup.
PackagingInsights looks forward to welcoming visitors to its FachPack stand.
Technical support
A major advantage for dairy brands is also the support of a network of industry-leading analytical R&D centers and labs, including its Food Science Lab in the UK and Film Science Lab network across the UK and Europe. This network offers onsite analysis, testing and development for validation of mechanical and seal performance across all products.
As a result, cheese brands can customize their solutions to answer their customers’ needs for enhanced convenience for opening and reclosing and reduced plastic use and ensure their performance in-line and on-shelf. Additionally, Coveris’ experts are available both locally and regionally for training and everyday customer support.
“At Coveris, we listen carefully to the needs of our dairy customers and use our long experience and unrivaled capabilities to provide optimal packaging solutions. We are proud to be the first to market grated cheese in the UK in fully recyclable and lightweight packs and hope to promote this technology in European stores as well,” says Katja Killian, sales director of food at Coveris.
PackagingInsights will be exhibiting at FachPack in Hall 5, Booth 131.
Edited by Joshua Poole
