Graphic Packaging cuts New Season Market’s plastic footprint with fiber-based pasta tray

31 Mar 2022 --- Graphic Packaging International (GPI) has developed a fiber-based tray branded PaperSeal with G. Mondini’s tray sealing technology. The solution will replace grocer New Season Market’s clamshells to package its partner brand Fresh Pasta.

Available in multiple formats, including modified atmosphere (MAP), vacuum skin and non-MAP top-seal trays, PaperSeal can be used to pack fresh and processed meat, chilled and frozen ready meals, cheese, snacks, salad, fruit and more.

According to GPI, the PaperSeal tray-packed pasta will appear in stores this April and enable New Seasons Market to prevent 120,000 plastic packs from entering waste streams each year.

Paul Tye, director, business development – global trays, bowls & cooking solutions at Graphic Packaging, says: “As a hybrid packaging format, the PaperSeal tray is well-suited for applications where plastic cannot easily be eliminated due to the need for a hermetic seal or oxygen barrier to extend shelf-life. For these applications, businesses can still reduce the amount of plastic used in their packaging by up to 90% by replacing it with a recyclable, renewable fiber-based alternative.

PaperSeal can be used to pack fresh and processed meat, chilled and frozen ready meals, cheese, snacks, salad and fruit. Image Credit: GPI.Global adoptions
The packaging solution combines a paperboard tray, which is produced using renewable fiber sourced from sustainably managed forests, with a film that can be easily separated post-use.

Ricardo De Genova, senior vice president of global innovation and new business development at GPI, says: “The PaperSeal tray is an [environmentally] sustainable alternative to traditional plastic food packaging trays.”

“Since its launch, it has been widely adopted across Europe, Japan and Australia, winning numerous sustainability awards and has become a go-to choice for businesses looking to reduce plastic use in their packaging while maintaining freshness.”

More fiber less plastic
The PaperSeal trays are made from paper and offer high levels of recyclability through existing curbside collection programs when the liner is removed, asserts GPI.

Furthermore, the company says the trays offer a significant reduction in plastic usage compared to traditional trays. For example, New Seasons Market will use 91% less plastic in each pack by switching to PaperSeal trays.

“We’re constantly assessing the tradeoffs between product preservation, upstream material impact, and downstream disposal opportunities in our packaging work, and our customers expect our leadership in this area,” explains Athena Petty, senior sustainability manager at New Seasons Market.

“The decision to adopt PaperSeal packaging reflects the process we take when making decisions, and this change is a positive step to balance our impacts on people, the planet, and our business.”

In related news, AMB has developed a tray-to-tray recycling solution called TrayRevive, which uses post-consumer trays to create new ones. The closed-loop solution secures recycled PET supply as demand for recycled bottles increases substantially.

Earlier this week, GPI launched EnviroClip – a minimal material, paperboard carrier alternative to plastic rings and shrink film for standard beverage cans. The solution is made from a single ply of paperboard, produced using renewable fiber from sustainably managed forests.

By Natalie Schwertheim

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