Weekly Roundup: Aldi to trial cardboard steak skin packs across 380 UK stores

16 Aug 2019 --- This week in industry news, Aldi announced that it will trial cardboard skin packs for its steak products across 380 UK stores from September. The supermarket indicates that the cardboard reduces the amount of plastic used by 90 percent without affecting the shelf-life of the steaks. Meanwhile, Swedish ice cream brand SIA Glass introduced a renewable packaging from Arta Plast made from paperboard Cupforma Natura by Stora Enso. Also, Kettle Foods is promoting its new KETTLE & More chips range with RE:CLOSE tape from Essentra Tapes, which maintains freshness and aids portion control.

In brief: New launches
Aldi supermarket unveiled plans to trial cardboard skin packs for its Specially Selected steaks in a bid to cut a reported 240 tons of plastic annually. “Meat is almost universally sold in plastic, but we’re looking to lead the way with alternatives – including these new cardboard steak trays,” notes Fritz Walleczek, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi UK. “Both food and plastic waste are important issues, but this packaging delivers on both by potentially removing 240 tons of plastic a year without compromising food quality or longevity.”

SIA Glass' renewable paperboard pack from Arta Plast, made from Cupforma Natura by Stora Enso.Swedish ice cream brand SIA Glass introduced a renewable paperboard pack from Arta Plast, made from Cupforma Natura by Stora Enso. More than half of the FiberCup is renewable material, and it can be disposed of in carton recycling in Sweden. The switch to FiberCup reduces CO2 emissions of SIA Glass by a reported 109 tons per year, 37 percent less than plastic packaging, the supplier notes.

RE:CLOSE from Essentra Tapes, enabling Kettle Foods to promote its new KETTLE & More chips range.RE:CLOSE from Essentra Tapes enabled Kettle Foods to promote its new KETTLE & More range to consumers while also providing user-friendly pack reclosability to maintain freshness and support portion control. Lightly Salted KETTLE Chips packs throughout retail outlets in the UK can be found exhibiting an 8-color printed RE:CLOSE Tape. By working with Essentra’s Design Studio, the tape delivers enhanced on-shelf impact and boosts awareness of the three new products within the latest range, the brand notes.

Paulig-owned brand Santa Maria developed new packaging made of a lidding film based on unbleached paper, which is coated with a tailored barrier material to secure the shelf-life of its tortillas, thereby minimizing food waste. The base web is a combination of “environmentally sound” plastics to ensure product protection with efficient use of material. Since the packaging now is based on paper, which is a renewable source, the carbon footprint is reduced by a reported 35 percent in comparison to the former packaging. Substituting plastics with paper means that Santa Maria will reduce its plastic consumption by 150 tons per year, the brand says.

Ronald Britton created Bioglitter SPARKLE and Bioglitter PURE, providing nurseries, make-up artists, fashionistas, retailers and brand owners alike with an environmentally friendly solution. Due to the flyaway nature of glitter, Ronald Britton first needed to source a base material they knew they could rely on to safely biodegrade in the natural environment. For this reason, they turned to Futamura and its flagship, renewable, compostable and biodegradable NatureFlex technology to create the glitter.

Santa Maria developed new packaging made of a lidding film based on unbleached paper for its tortillas.Brand agency Lewis Moberly designed a wine bottle with a “disruptive identity” for Floreat, a low-alcohol wine made with a special blend of high-quality botanicals. The silhouette of the bottle design is typical of the premium champagne category, elevating the brand with a “simple, clean and elegant aesthetic” finished with a “gilded tactile intricacy that speaks to a modern and wellbeing-focused drinker.” For the label design, Lewis Moberly avoided the more traditional champagne category codes of heavy house marks and ornate graphics, introducing a die-cut leaf shape finished with a filigree effect that celebrates the natural properties of the botanicals and signaling a new type of product experience. Clear glass allows the rich color of the liquid to shine through and celebrates the effervescence of the product.

Nespresso partnered with Swedish bike brand Vélosophy to produce a stylish bicycle made from recycled aluminum coffee capsules, demonstrating both brands’ commitment to a circular economy. 1,000 limited edition RE:CYCLE bikes made from over 300,000 recycled Nespresso Arpeggio capsules will be available from August 12, sold exclusively on Vélosophy’s e-commerce platform.

Bioglitter SPARKLE and Bioglitter PURE, made with Futamura's NatureFlex technology.In brief: Business news
Bizerba, a provider of solutions for weighing, slicing, and labeling technologies, acquired the Italian service company Electronic Service Italia (ESI), which is headquartered in Bovolone nearby Verona. With the acquisition of ESI, Bizerba enhances its service competence in Italy.

DOMO Chemicals and Solvay signed an agreement for DOMO to acquire Solvay’s Performance Polyamides Business in Europe. This includes Engineering Plastics operations in France and Poland; High Performance Fibers in France; Polymer and Intermediates operations in France, Spain & Poland. The agreement also involves a joint venture between BASF and DOMO in France for the production of Adipic Acid. The Business comprises Production, Sales, Technical Support, R&D and Innovation services which currently have a combined headcount of approximately 1100 employees. The acquisition, which is subject to approval by the competent competition authorities, is expected to close by the end of Q4 2019. The purchase price to be paid by DOMO on a cash and debt-free basis would amount to €300 million (US$332 million).Lewis Moberly's design for Floreat's low-alcohol wine.

Novolex, a leader in packaging choice, sustainability and innovation, has introduced the Novolex Supplier Code of Conduct (the “Code”), which is designed to hold members of its global supply chain to vital standards for ethical conduct and to adhere to policies and practices that can protect the environment, respect human rights and promote worker health and safety.

Schur took over Emballagegruppen in Vejle from Maj Invest Equity. At the beginning of 2019, Maj Invest Equity acquired the family-owned company Good Food Group in Vejle, to which Emballagegruppen was affiliated as a 100 percent owned subsidiary until the transfer to Maj Invest Equity. Emballagegruppen A/S, which produces carton packaging and label products at two separate locations in Vejle, has a turnover of approximately DKK 180 million (US$26.7 million) and employs 130 people.

Sonoco, a diversified global packaging company, announced its acquisition of Corenso Holdings America (CHA) from a company owned by investment funds advised by Madison Dearborn Partners and management for US$110 million in cash. CHA is a leading US manufacturer of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) and high-performance cores used in the paper, packaging films, tape and specialty industries.

By Joshua Poole