Earth-friendly meal kits: HelloFresh selects Tetra Recart carton for European markets

28 Jun 2019 --- Tetra Pak has announced that HelloFresh, a global meal kit service provider, has selected the Tetra Recart carton package for use in European markets for its environmentally-friendly offering. Implemented by HelloFresh in the US market since 2017, Tetra Recart is said to pose an 80 percent lower carbon footprint and offers significant weight and space savings of up to 40 percent due to its box shape, in comparison to tin cans and glass jars.

“We see huge growth in the meal kit category as consumers demand easier shopping experiences and services offering less planning, shorter cooking time, all while maintaining the quality of the ingredients,” notes Peter Arvidsson, MD, Tetra Recart at Tetra Pak. “We are pleased to be able to help food producers capture this opportunity with a sustainable package that keeps food fresh and tasty.”

Tetra Recart offers significant weight and space savings of up to 40 percent due to its box shape, in comparison to tin cans and glass jars.In analyses comparing Tetra Recart packages with steel cans and glass, an estimated 10-20 percent of outbound distribution was cut, lowering costs on transportation and carbon emissions. Tetra Recart packages are primarily composed of renewable materials such as wood fibers from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified forests and other controlled sources. FSC is a global not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of responsible forest management worldwide and backed by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Greenpeace.

“Introducing the Tetra Recart carton to our sustainable packaging portfolio is a strategic move for HelloFresh, helping us reduce our climate footprint through improved logistics efficiencies,” says Jakob SchmTetra Recart's cartons on display
at Anuga FoodTec 2018 .idt, Senior Global Procurement Manager at HelloFresh Global. “Tetra Pak’s innovative packaging enables HelloFresh to consistently deliver a quality product and a great opening experience for our customers.”

HelloFresh-branded tomatoes, beans, chickpeas and lentils are now available in Tetra Recart cartons in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands.

Tetra Recart was present at Anuga FoodTec 2018, Cologne, to showcase its latest solutions in carton packaging. Wickedly Prime – the food brand of global e-commerce giant Amazon – is currently using Recart’s innovative carton design for its soup products. 

PackagingInsights’ sister platform FoodIngredientsFirst spoke with Anders Lindgren, VP for Tetra Recart, during Anuga FoodTec about the inspiration behind its carton designs and Amazon’s uptake. “Tetra Recart is a way to retort a carton. Through the use of polymerized lamination, you can package any type of food product that you would find in a can today. We have a number of global categories, including vegetables, baked beans, fruit, soups or ready meals. One of the biggest today globally is pet food. In Asia, it could be about fish in tomato sauce,” he notes.

By Benjamin Ferrer