Metsä Board meets plastic-free tray demands with lightweight paperboard solution

23 Nov 2020 --- Finland-based Metsä Board is reporting increased interest for its fully recyclable and compostable paperboard tray MetsäBoard Prime FBB EB. 

Responding to steady demand for plastic-free foodservice packaging, MetsäBoard Prime FBB EB has a medium eco-barrier for grease and moisture resistance.

Moreover, the paperboards are free from fluorochemicals and available with FSC and PEFC certifications.

Matthew Terry, technical service director, tells PackagingInsights these environmental credentials are attracting customer attention and partnerships in the foodservice sector.

The plastic alternative trays are currently being used by “several fast food multinationals” for hamburgers, nuggets and fries in the foodservice sector and “global brand owners” for chocolate confectionery. 

Other food applications include cereals, muesli, fresh produce, bakery and even soap.Click to EnlargeSeveral leading fast-food outlets are using Metsä Boards’ eco-trays for salads, clam shells and chip scoops.

Leading lightweighting
Ranging from 195 to 320 gsm, lightweighting plays a central role in the new Metsä Board design. 

“We were the first to coin the phrase [lightweighting] and continue to develop our products with environmental drivers, including lightweighting, at their heart,” says Terry.

Lightweight paperboards like MetsäBoard Prime FBB EB can offer the advantages of heavier grades in terms of stiffness and thickness, he continues, while using considerably less raw materials for the same application. 

“Lighter packaging products also mean reduced environmental impacts at every stage of the product life cycle – using less raw materials, less energy and water as well as enabling lower transport weights and less waste.”

The main raw material used to produce MetsäBoard Prime FBB EB is wood grown in sustainably-managed Northern European forests. “The fiber content is therefore made of premium fresh fiber – suitable for direct food contact,” Terry explains.

The eco-barrier treatment also involves natural, bio-based, biodegradable material from renewable sources.Click to EnlargeIn January, Finnish chocolate producer Kultasuklaa chose Prime FBB EB as a plastic-free alternative for its pralines.

The smooth surface further allows for “excellent printability” to ensure easily integrated bespoke brand designs on environmentally attractive packaging.

Motivation for circular solutions
The MetsäBoard Prime FBB EB launch arrives in response to rising eco-conscious consumer preference for circular packaging, and an aid for companies with self-stipulated sustainability goals.

Meanwhile, the EU Single-Use Plastic Directive will be fully implemented next July, providing another regulatory incentive for brands and retailers to switch to packaging solutions with higher environmental credentials.

Last month, Metsä Board received home compostability certificates for its folding boxboards, MetsäBoard Natural FBB and MetsäBoard Pro FBB OBAfree, as well as two foodservice grades, MetsäBoard Natural FSB Cup and MetsäBoard Pro FSB Cup.

By Anni Schleicher

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