Stora Enso makes Picadeli’s salad bar packaging “click” with formed fiber lids

24 Feb 2022 --- Stora Enso and takeaway salad bar company Picadeli are introducing renewable formed fiber lids to replace single-use plastics in takeaway packaging. The lids are made of PureFiber by Stora Enso, plastic-free, recyclable and biodegradable. 

The solution will help Picadeli reduce approximately 120 tons of plastic waste annually. The new formed fiber lids will be available for consumers at European salad bars starting in March 2022.

“The PureFiber lids are produced in Sweden from wood fibers from sustainably managed forests. We have perfected the design of the lids to fit the bowls perfectly, and they even come with a ‘click’ sound that helps consumers know the lid is properly attached to the bowl,” Sohrab Kazemahvazi, senior vice president for Formed Fiber at Stora Enso, tells PackagingInsights.

Kazemahvazi explains the company’s strategic aim is to expand with environmentally sustainable, scalable and innovative packaging solutions. Stora Enso does this by supporting “strong forerunner brands” like Picadeli to meet growing consumer demand for plastic-free and circular solutions.

“A salad bowl lid is a good example of an everyday single-use plastic item that can make an important difference on climate footprint when replaced by an environmentally sustainable alternative,” he explains.

Creating a suitable lid
When asked about technical challenges, Kazemahvazi stresses that one of the main obstacles was to create a lid with “great fitting” to the bowl. Plastic as a material is more flexible and more forgiving to changes in the bowl geometries, while fiber-based products require a more clever design, he points out. 

The innovation will help Picadeli reduce approximately 120 tons of plastic waste annually. “Our design team has worked extensively to find the best lid design to interact with the bowl. We have worked to perfect the fiber recipes and production process with stable high quality as a result.”

The lids can be recycled in paper or carton stream and are also biodegradable. Furthermore, the lids are free from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other so-called “forever chemicals.” 

PureFiber applications
Packaging accounts for roughly 40% of the world’s plastics, mostly made from fossil oil. The carbon footprint of the PureFiber lid is up to 75% lower compared to alternative materials such as plastic or bagasse, highlights Stora Enso.

Furthermore, PureFiber products are produced from wood-based formed fiber using green energy. The material can be used in a wide range of applications, including single-use food packaging items such as plastic-free cups, bowls, clamshells, plates, and lids. It can also be used to replace plastic packaging for other industries, including agriculture, electronics and cosmetics. 

Formed fiber is a growth business for Stora Enso, with the Group recently announcing an expansion of its formed fiber production capacity in Europe.Plastic is more flexible and forgiving to changes in the bowl geometries, while fiber-based products require a more clever design to work, says Kazemahvazi.

“Food and sustainability have been much discussed in recent years but knowing how to make choices that are both healthy and come with a low carbon footprint is not always easy,” says David von Laskowski, Picadeli’s CEO.

“We work continuously to make tasty, [environmentally] sustainable, and healthy fast-food more accessible. Launching the formed fiber lid will further reduce our carbon footprint, supporting our business strategy for [environmental] sustainability.”

Identifying market gaps
Kazemahvazi says a large share of takeaway food and beverage packaging still comes with a single-use plastic lid. The life span of that lid is short – from a salad bar or a café to the point of consumption. “After that, the lid becomes plastic waste thrown in a bin, often on-the-go,” he adds. 

“These lids contribute to a significant amount of single-use plastic waste annually – waste that would be easy to avoid with a better alternative.”

“Strong brands see this [issue], and regulation is supporting the shift from single-use plastics to more eco-friendly alternatives. But I hope we can speed up this transition – we can offer a real solution,” he concludes.

By Natalie Schwertheim