Elopak and Nippon Paper provide Oceania with carton-based beverage packages to slash plastics

04 Apr 2022 --- Elopak and liquid packaging producer Nippon Paper Industries have entered an agreement in which Nippon Paper will produce and sell Elopak's lineup of Pure-Pak packaging for liquid F&B products worldwide and introduce them to Oceania as a result of growing regional demand for environmentally sustainable packaging. 

The companies say their license agreement will leverage the technological capabilities and innovation of both companies to pursue new business opportunities in the Oceania region – particularly in Australia and New Zealand, where population growth and domestic demand are rising. 

The license agreement will also further promote the transition away from plastic toward more environmentally sustainable, low carbon packaging solutions for chilled liquid beverages, they say.

Patrick Verhelst, chief marketing officer at Elopack tells PackagingInsights: “Elopak’s Pure-Pak cartons are made using renewable, recyclable and sustainably sourced materials. They consist primarily of paperboard sourced from responsibly managed forests.”

“Elopak offers cartons made from FSC-certified material, as well as renewable cartons that use a wood-based renewable polymer component (ISCC Plus certified renewable PE), rather than relying on petroleum-based plastics.”

A global packaging trend
Nippon Paper is concentrating efforts in the field of paper packaging with the goal of improving consumers’ lives and helping the planet under the slogan of “Pioneering the future together with trees.”

Based on the slogan “What can be done with paper,” Nippon Paper is exploring the potential of packaging based on wood – a renewable resource – and offering a variety of proposals. The company highlights it is also one of the leading packaging companies in Oceania through its subsidiary business, Opal.

Elopak says it offers environmentally sustainable packaging solutions that provide a natural and convenient alternative to plastic bottles.

Verhelst highlights consumers are increasingly demanding more environmentally sustainable packaging solutions and brands and retailers are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint. 

“This is a global trend, and Australia and New Zealand are no exception. Another factor is population growth, which suggests we will continue to see a further increase in demand over time.”

Nippon Paper will produce and sell Elopak's lineup of Pure-Pak packaging for liquid food and beverage products worldwide.

Elopak’s environmental drive 
This licensing agreement aligns with Elopak’s ambitions to meet the rising demand for environmentally sustainable packaging solutions by pursuing a growth strategy centered on investment in innovation, the pursuit of new business opportunities in existing and new markets across both fresh and aseptic markets, and driving the plastic to carton conversion.

Collaboration between Nippon Paper and Elopak is built on the companies’ shared commitment to environmental sustainability and innovation. Both companies are members of the United Nations Global Compact and claim to incorporate the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals into their development strategies. They also have a shared dedication to sustainable forest management and improved recycling of their paper products.

Verhelst explains one of the key challenges we face is more still needs to be done to raise awareness around the relative sustainability credentials of cartons compared to alternatives such as plastic bottles. “However, overall we believe the transition is a great opportunity for brands and consumers to make more environmentally choices.”

“As brands and retailers looking for ways to reduce their carbon, transitioning from plastic bottles to cartons can also help products to stand out on the shelves and visually communicate a product’s sustainability credentials,” he concludes. 

Last year, Elopak introduced a new tethered cap solution for its Pure-Pak cartons called the Pure-TwistFlip. The launch came as the industry prepares for the EU’s Single Use Plastics Directive, requiring manufacturers to adopt tethered caps and lids that remain attached to containers by July 2024.

Also last year, PackagingInsights took a deep dive into the dairy packaging market with leading manufacturers Sealpac, Tetra Pak, SIG, Amcor, Elopak and dairy co-operative Fonterra.

By Natalie Schwertheim