Beyond The Headlines: Crown’s ready-to-drink cocktail cans, Pulpac’s new shareholders

This week in industry news, Crown Holdings joined forces with San Juan Beverage Company to provide packaging for ready-to-drink cocktails, and SIG InnoVentures and Optima agreed to join PulPac as new shareholders. Meanwhile, International Paper announced the groundbreaking of its packaging box plant in the US.

In brief: Partnerships

Aluminum beverage can manufacturer Crown Holdings partnered with San Juan Beverage Company to become the exclusive beverage packaging provider for San Juan Bammarita, a ready-to-drink cocktail collaboration created with Seattle Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor. Crown’s partnership is expected to bring the margaritas to stores throughout the country. West Coast Container said it will be collaborating with Crown to provide additional support to this partnership.

Colorcon, a company for film coating systems, specialty excipients, controlled release formulations, and controlled atmosphere packaging for the healthcare industry, partnered with ASHA Cellulose, a provider of organo-soluble Ethyl cellulose polymers used in the pharmaceutical and dietary supplement industries. Colorcon will become the exclusive representative for the ASHA products throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Northeast Asia, and Southeast Asia. One product is Ashakote, a 30% aqueous dispersion of Ethyl cellulose suitable for sustained release, taste-masking and moisture control, and used in regions where organic solvents are not acceptable. 

Goodday, a cultured milk drink owned by Asahi Beverages Philippines and distributed by Universal Robina Corporation in the Philippines, partnered with Appetite Creative to revisit and refresh its 2024 interactive connected packaging experience, now with over 22 million codes hidden under caps or labels. The web app tracks real-time interaction, such as buying habits, product preferences, purchase location, average engagement time, location, scan rate, number of visitors, return visitors, social media shares, and collecting store information. All personal data is GDPR-compliant to enable the brand to optimize its marketing and better understand consumers. 

In brief: Investments

By expanding the rolling mill, Constantia Flexibles is increasing aluminum foil production by 30% (Image credit: Constantia Flexibles).PulPac stated that SIG InnoVentures and Optima, a packaging technology company, will join the company as new shareholders. The investment is said to broaden PulPac’s existing group of investors and pave the way for innovative and responsible alternatives to single-use plastic. This announcement followed PulPac’s existing partnership with Optima, which confirmed a shared commitment to advancing sustainable packaging solutions. By leveraging each partner’s capabilities, that initiative aims to accelerate the availability of fiber-based caps and closures at scale.

MPE Partners announced an investment in, and the simultaneous merger of, Central Coated Products and Sun America to establish a new platform dedicated to providing custom, innovative food packaging solutions. Following the merger, both Central Coated and Sun America will continue to operate out of their current manufacturing facilities, with no changes to day-to-day business operations. Sun America offers custom-cut and premium wax paper, paper baking cups, and plastic containers to a diverse mix of meat, cheese, baked goods, and other food processors through both direct sales and distribution. In addition, Sun America sells a wide range of foodservice wax paper through its Carnation brand.

In brief: Inaugurations, groundbreakings, and machine investments

Constantia Flexibles inaugurated the expansion of the rolling mill at its main plant, Constantia Teich, in Weinburg, Austria. The expansion aims to promote more sustainable, local aluminum foil production and strengthen the stability of European supply chains. Constantia Flexibles relies on new technologies from European suppliers for the overall investment. It includes three foil stock furnaces, a rolling station, a separator, three double chamber foil furnaces, the expansion of the high-rack storage, and a lacquering line. The power supply will be ensured partly by renewable energies, including a large-scale, company-owned photovoltaic system. The expansion of the rolling mill enables Constantia Teich to increase its capacities, particularly in strategic growth areas such as coffee capsules, pharmaceutical, and food packaging. The first commercial production has now started.GRECO designs and scales food packaging materials that can prevent moisture and increase shelf life (Image credit: Aimplas).

International Paper announced the groundbreaking of its “sustainable” packaging box plant in Waterloo, Iowa, US. Located in the heart of the Midwest, the new facility will focus on serving the protein segment, providing tailored packaging solutions. The Waterloo box plant will feature new technology and equipment, enabling International Paper to deliver innovative and sustainable packaging solutions, according to the company. The plant’s design incorporates the latest safety practices and industry technology. The facility is currently scheduled to begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Mondi announced that following the start-up of its paper machine at its Štetí mill in the Czech Republic, early production runs demonstrated “excellent results in terms of strength, runnability, and consistent quality.” The machine enables Mondi to meet the rising demand for paper-based flexible packaging while strengthening the group’s vertically integrated Paper Bags business. It also supports the optimization of production efficiency across the group’s entire kraft paper portfolio. The paper machine is said to offer a full range of kraft paper products from high strength to high porosity grades, for various applications such as construction and industrial bags.

In brief: Launches and projects

The GRECO project, funded by EU’s Horizon Europe, will launch in June 2025 at Aimplas, the Plastics Technology Centre in Valencia, Spain. Backed by €7.6 million (US$ 8.6 million) in EU funding, GRECO brings together 22 partners across Europe under the lead of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. With a focus on biobased, biodegradable, recyclable, safe, and circular food packaging solutions, GRECO will explore novel PLA copolymers, functional coatings, green catalysts, and additives.

Gentlebrand Design Agency signed Zelda Water, a new project in the mineral water sector. The Zelda no label bottle is made entirely from BioPET, a fully renewable bio-based material that aims to combine aesthetic appeal with environmental responsibility, designed to meet the needs of an increasingly eco-conscious market. A feature of the design is the integration of Smartweight technology, which is said to optimize every stage of the product life cycle while reducing environmental impact. By eliminating the label, the recyclability of the product is increased, as it reduces the mix of materials used to produce the packaging. The bottle is available in four formats (20 cL, 33 cL, 55 cL, and 150 cL). 

In brief: Awards and trade shows

Sidel’s Aseptic Combi Predis is said to enhance food safety and extend shelf life (Image credit: Sidel).DS Smith won two accolades at the Flexographic Technical Association Excellence in Flexography Awards 2025. The winning sustainable packaging solution was created in collaboration with Carlsberg in Tampere, Finland, and awarded for the ”combined, corrugated process” category as well as the category “independent award for the most advanced packaging and design solution” in the competition “best of show. The overall design of the packaging for Carlsberg utilizes as few materials as possible and is made from sustainable fiber-based corrugated cardboard, which is intended to be easy for the consumer to recycle.

Sidel will showcase its packaging solutions at ProPak Asia 2025, taking place in Bangkok, Thailand, June 11–14, with a focus on the Aseptic Combi Predis featuring dry preform sterilization. Visitors can also explore its IntelliADJUST for consistent PET quality, and the Evo-ON digital suite for real-time performance insights. Sidel will showcase its Aseptic Combi Predis, an integrated blow-fill-cap solution for PET bottles featuring patented Predis dry preform sterilization. By eliminating conveying, empty-bottle handling, and storage, this system maximizes efficiency and continuous production. The Aseptic Combi Predis is said to be a simple and fast aseptic solution allowing the safe packaging of sensitive beverages like dairy products, juices, soft drinks, and teas.