UPM and Orkla Suomi pilot paper wrappers for Panda Milk chocolate

UPM Speciality Papers and Orkla Suomi have created paper packaging for Panda Milk chocolates, which are now available across stores in Finland. The new chocolate wrappers replace those made from PP-based single-use plastic.

The Panda Milk chocolate wrapper is made from UPM Asendo Pro 75 g/m2 barrier paper with grease barrier properties for food packaging. The solution is food safety certified (BfR, FDA), having undergone multiple tests, including for shelf life, according to UPM. The in-built barrier protection eliminates the need for an additional plastic layer. 

“Chocolate can be a challenging product to package in paper due to its relatively high grease level. However, UPM has a product portfolio, experience, and the partner network needed to support the transition to recyclable paper-based packaging,” says Kirsi Lahtela, senior manager of Product Portfolio Management at UPM Specialty Papers.

“Therefore, we are able to help converters and brands like Orkla Suomi with their packaging sustainability ambitions and speed up the time to market new packaging solutions.”

Arja Laitinen, packaging developer at Orkla Suomi, says: “At Orkla Suomi, we want to make everyday life better with local brands that bring joy and make sustainable choices easier. Our products are a combination of tradition, innovation, and sustainability.”

Paper packaging made possible

Orkla Suomi can continue using its existing flowpack packaging machines, typically used with plastic, to paper wrap the chocolates. This is made possible through the application of a  cold seal lacquer applied to the sealing areas of the paper wrapper. 

The Panda Milk chocolate wrapper is made from UPM Asendo Pro 75 g/m2 barrier paper with grease barrier properties.Laitinen says that the paper packaging is “a great example of Orkla Suomi’s ongoing efforts to replace fossil-based materials with renewable alternatives.”

UPM Speciality Papers introduced its biopolymer-coated paper packaging for the food industry late last year.

UPM says it sources fibers for its paper packaging from forests which ensure tree regeneration and UPM Asendo Pro has been validated as recyclable (PTS method RH 021/97, cat II) in existing fiber recycling streams, widely available to consumers in Finland and in Europe.

UPM Raflatac, part of UPM Group, recently renewed its partnership with WWF Poland to mitigate the release of plastic packaging in the country’s protected wetland areas.