DS Smith arms Veetee Group with plastic-slashing rice boxes in the UK

26 Jul 2022 --- DS Smith has partnered with one of the UK’s largest rice companies Veetee Rice to cut 50 metric tons of “problem plastic” from its value chain and help products stand out on store shelves. 

As one of the UK’s largest rice companies, Veetee’s pioneering solution is a fully recyclable fiber-based rice box with a unique portion measure. It was created by DS Smith, which works closely with its customers to support the removal of problem plastics from supermarket shelves. 

Dave Ellerington, head of design and innovation and business development at DS Smith Packaging UK & Ireland, remarks: “We were able to use our unique circular design principles and metrics in the development of this design to ensure the final product is convenient for customers as well as being sustainable.”

“Our work with Veetee has once again been able to show how packaging is vital for brands who are looking to become more circular and reduce their environmental impact.” 

Recently, DS Smith released its annual report, which showed a 100% rate of reusable or recyclable packaging and cut 313 million units of plastic from its product portfolio in the past two years. The company also reported a 29% carbon emissions equivalent cut between 2015 and 2021.Veetee rice boxes.

Design developments 
Veetee sought to introduce several new features to its packaging design, including developing a premium dry rice pack for supermarkets, replacing plastic bags with a carton board pack and ensuring the carton was leak-proof and stable when filling on Veetee’s automated packing lines. 

In collaboration with Veetee, DS Smith’s technical and operational experts underwent a series of design developments. The final product successfully designed out the need for plastic bags and created a lid that doubled up as a portion measure, which is unique in the sector.

Incorporating the portion measure solves a consumer problem and helps Veetee stand out from its competitors.

“Reducing the volume of unnecessary plastics in circulation and giving consumers truly sustainable options are two goals that we share with Veetee. We used our unique circular design principles in the development of this solution to ensure the final product would maintain and optimize materials while being fully recyclable,” says Ellerington. 

“Our work with Veetee has once again highlighted why packaging cannot be overlooked by brands looking to reduce their environmental impact.”

Accommodating automation
The pack has been developed to be filled on Veetee’s fully automated packing lines and within its existing footprint to maximize and improve supply chain efficiency. Following design, development, and manufacturing in the UK, the rice box was first launched in the US in May 2021 before being sold in major UK supermarkets.

James Brett, marketing director for Veetee Group, comments: “Working with DS Smith to create our industry-leading rice box has allowed us to achieve our goal of selling our product that is a premium, sustainable solution and disruptive on the shelf. We’re also proud to provide an enhanced customer experience through the box’s unique portion measure, meaning the packaging helps our brand stand out from the crowd.”

The one-piece design enables a high-quality print to be used on the inside and outside of the carton, creating an enhanced customer opening experience. 

The complex double-skinned construction creates a collar for the lid, whereas most other carton packs are single-skinned. The pack is designed, developed and manufactured in the UK at DS Smith’s Neath site.

By Louis Gore-Langton