Smurfit Westrock develops recyclable seafood packaging for temperature regulation

Smurfit Westrock has produced moisture-resistant and recyclable seafood packaging for Keltic Seafare, supporting the Scottish seafood company in its transition away from expanded polystyrene (EPS) packaging. 

The solution created by Smurfit Westrock Tannochside, based near Glasgow, UK, is said to be fully recyclable and insulated to keep Keltic Seafare’s live shellfish and scallops protected during transport.

The outer case of the packaging features a moisture-resistant coating that shrugs off seawater and wet handling. This allows the boxes and printed branding to remain unaffected during shipping in the UK from Dingwall to delivery in London. 

Inside, the corrugated insulation and optimized gel pack placement are said to maintain the low temperatures required for live langoustines, lobsters, and scallops.

“Working with Smurfit Westrock Tannochside ticked every box for Keltic Seafare,” says Robert MacKinnon, procurement manager at Keltic Seafare. “The team created seafood packaging that perfectly balanced our need for eco-conscious packaging, while also boosting ease and speed of assembly, branding, and customer satisfaction.”

Aishling Bradford, business development manager at Smurfit Westrock Tannochside, adds: “The seafood packaging solution Smurfit Westrock Tannochside created for Keltic Seafare shows that moisture resistance and temperature control don’t have to come at the cost of branding, speed, and sustainability.”

“This was a challenging project at times, as Keltic Seafare had a lot of requirements that needed to be met, but it enabled us to put our design skills to the test without compromising on any key features.”

Dual inner box system

Smurfit Westrock highlights that the solution for Keltic Seafare features a dual inner box system with divisions to keep shellfish secure and separated. These inner boxes are wrapped with T-piece liners and gel packs to create a “fully insulated” chamber inside the outer case.

The scallops are then packed in the barrier-coated, insulated outer case with gel packs. 

“By integrating insulation into a recyclable, moisture-resistant design, Keltic Seafare now enjoys improved protection, and packaging that aligns with their eco-conscious ethos,” the packaging company adds. 

Before approaching Smurfit Westrock, Keltic Seafare had switched from EPS boxes to a solid board packaging design with an insulated foam liner. 

While this reduced reliance on plastic, the boxes are said to have lacked the seafood company’s branding, as well as not being optimized for sustainable disposal by their high-end restaurant customers.

“With many of their Michelin-starred clients based in Central London, the ability to easily separate and dispose of it in standard municipal recycling bins was a key requirement,” according to the companies. 

Smurfit Westrock recently also developed a paper-based bubble wrap alternative for electrical connectors and recyclable packaging for Dermalux medical devices. Last month, it acquired a corrugated packaging company in Ecuador.