Mars Food and Amcor partner on recyclable, microwavable rice pouches in 2021 trial
14 Dec 2020 --- Global packaging company Amcor is bringing food-safe, mono-polypropylene microwavable rice pouches to Mars Food next year – an “industry first,” according to the global food company.
Mars Food’s household brands Ben’s Original and Seeds of Change will be tested in Amcor’s AmLite HeatFlex Recyclable pouches as an initial pilot in the first half of 2021.
At this stage, the product design is close to being finalized and Amcor is now fine-tuning its production processes for launch.
With favorable pilot test results, Mars Food has ambitions to further scale Amcor’s technology across its portfolio in H2 2021.
“Launching our recyclable retort material in a stand-up pouch format that meets stringent food safety standards is a challenge. It will be a win when [Mars Food’s] brands deliver this innovation to consumers,” says Michael Zacka, president of Amcor Flexibles EMEA.
AmLite for rice and soup pouches
Amcor recently spoke with PackagingInsights on the topic of innovative soup packaging, for which AmLite HeatFlex Recyclable pouches were also designed.
The difficulty in designing rice pouches is they need to support the retort (high heat) process to provide food safety and a long shelf life, which limits the packaging materials that can be used.
“Retort pouches used for food products are one of the most difficult packaging solutions to make recyclable,” explained Geoffrey Gendebien, marketing manager at Amcor Flexibles EMEA.
Amcor launched the world’s first recyclable flexible pouch, AmLite HeatFlex Recyclable, in October.From a mix- to mono-material structure
High barrier protection is traditionally secured by combining different plastics and often including aluminum. The outer layer of a retort pouch has been made with PET for years given its high heat resistance.
“The problem with this, however, is there is no recycling stream available for PET-based bags and pouches, unlike PET bottles, which are recyclable,” Gendebien said.
To make a recyclable pouch, the PET layer and mix-material structure needed to be replaced. “The biggest challenge was finding a suitable polypropylene mono-material solution with a recyclable barrier, which guarantees the same product protection during the product’s shelf life,” the Amcor spokesperson adds.
Amcor launched the world’s first recyclable flexible retort pouch, AmLite HeatFlex Recyclable, in October 2020. The use of mono-polypropylene material allows Mars Food to retain the shape, shelf life, functionality and high safety standards in its packaging.
Amcor’s technology also makes the pouches mechanically and chemically recyclable where infrastructure exists in several European countries.
Mono-PP allows Mars Food to retain the shape, shelf life, and functionality of its packaging.Sustainability strides
The prospective Mars Food pouches aim to train consumers’ circular disposal behaviors with a “Recycle Me” message on front-of-pack.
Innova Market Insights’ top packaging trend “The Language of Environmental Sustainability” spotlights how FMCG brands are increasingly acknowledging the environmental attributes of packaging as a key selling proposition of consumer packaged goods.
The breakthrough is a result of a three-year partnership between Mars Food and Amcor. Both companies view the launch as a step forward in their respective strategies to reintegrate single-use packaging materials such as rice pouches back into the value chain.
Mars has committed to ensuring its packaging is 100 percent recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. The company has recently ranked sixth of the ten top global polluting companies.
The project will also move Amcor closer to achieving its pledge to develop all its packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2025.
Popularizing recycling
Polypropylene, and especially recycled polypropylene (r-PP), has been used in various packaging material updates in the F&B sector.
Recent examples include tubs and lids across Unilever’s Knorr bouillon and Magnum ice cream portfolios.
Mars’ latest move in this direction was a collaboration with SABIC and Huhtamaki on r-PP pet food packaging. Amcor, on the other hand, launched Europe’s first designed-for-recycling shrink bag meat and dairy in r-PP last week.
By Anni Schleicher
