Mondi equips Vignola with recyclable paper Rice Bag in Italian market first

09 Nov 2020 --- Italian rice producer Riseria Vignola Giovanni is teaming up with consumer packaged goods giant Mondi and packaging converter Fiorini to bring fully recyclable paper packaging to the European rice market.

Dubbed the “Rice Bag,” the packaging comprises a specialty kraft paper boasting high strength, printability and guaranteed runnability on filling machines. 

The solution is 100 percent recyclable and suitable for waste paper recycling streams, even in countries with the highest recycling requirements, says the collaboration.

“As Italy’s first fully recyclable paper rice bag, [Rice Bag] is reducing the use of plastic in the market. We at Mondi continuously demonstrate our expertise and ability to create the right sustainable paper packaging solutions that still meet food guidelines on freshness and preserve shelf life,” Paulus Goess, sales director at Mondi, tells PackagingInsights. 

“To substitute plastic with paper, our R&D experts developed a portfolio of puncture-resistant papers that can be used in numerous applications. The ‘Advantage Smooth White’ paper Rice Bag is only one example, and we see great potential for the future.”

Vignola is one of Italy’s major rice producers, where over 30 percent of rice in Europe is grown, amounting to more than 1.5 million tons per year. 

The Rice Bag was designed as part of Mondi’s customer-centric eco-solutions approach, providing consumers with sustainable options while meeting technical requirements such as shelf life and food regulations. 

Enhanced sustainability profile 
Vignola says it is also enhancing its sustainability profile by purchasing a new form-fill-seal machine for paper-based bags.

“Consumers are more conscious about the environment than ever. Vignola’s goal is to reduce plastic in its portfolio and recently purchased a new form-fill-and-seal machine for paper-based packaging.”The Rice Bag comprises a specialty kraft paper, boasting high strength, printability and filling machine runnability. 

The Rice Bag is aimed at consumer demand for environmentally-friendly packaging. Currently, the solution is available in 500 g and 1 kg sizes.

“Our EcoSolutions approach goes to the heart of trying to reduce less sustainable packaging with more bespoke solutions that meet our customers’ needs,” says Massimiliano Scott, head of sales at Mondi.

“With a production volume of 50 million kilos of rice per year, Vignola has a competitive market presence as well as a track record of leading the way in innovative packaging.”

Collaboration number two 
The Rice Bag is the second recent product created by Fiorini and Mondi.

“The Rice Bag for Vignola is our second successful collaboration with Mondi in the past two years. Having partnered with Mondi to develop a fully recyclable paper bag with a window for an Italian pasta company last year, we did not hesitate to recommend Mondi to Vignola,” says Pietro Fiorini, sales director at Fiorini. 

“Mondi has the expertise and capability to work with us on sustainable packaging solutions that not only meet food industry guidelines for freshness and shelf life but are also user-friendly.”

Mondi’s paper pack innovations
Mondi indicates it is ready to help produce more similar packaging solutions industry-wide. 

“We’re pleased to see these developments in Italian food packaging and ready to support customers with packaging solutions that are sustainable by design,” notes Scott.

The Rice Bag joins a host of recent Mondi innovations reducing plastics dependency. 

In October, the company released eco-friendly packaging for tomatoes sold by Penny supermarkets in Germany. In collaboration with Bavarian producer BIOhof, the 100 percent recyclable “Coral Tray” mitigates food waste and includes a lid made of recycled corrugated board.

Mondi also released a polycoated kraft (PCK) paper release liner in July. The “NextLiner” uses recycled fibers and renewable materials to drive down environmental footprint. The PCK liner is suitable for graphic arts, tapes and other industrial applications. 

By Louis Gore-Langton