Walki and Rovema unveil paper candy pouch with reinforced strength and recyclability

17 Jul 2023 --- Walki and Rovema have designed a paper pouch for confectionery to replace plastic. Candy pouches are hung on metal hooks and are “almost always made of plastic.”

The companies developed a reinforced euro-hole pouch to keep the packaging intact and environmentally sustainable. Walki applied an extra strip on the area above the euro hole. The double layers strip is invisible to consumers but works as a safety belt for the paper pouch.

In past iterations of using paper-based packaging for confectionery products, paper pouches have not been able to sustain the weight of its contents, resulting in the bags dropping on the supermarket floor. Finding a fiber-based alternative has been on the design desk for a long time at packaging machine manufacturer Rovema as the material becomes more popular in the packaging sector.

“The idea is that firstly paper recycling infrastructure is established in Europe, therefore, the products can be recycled. Secondly, the solution is extra strong and can be held up on supermarket shelves,” Annika Sundell, EVP for innovation and business development at Walki, told Packaging Insights at Interpack 2023.

“The recycling network for fiber-based packaging is quite developed across Europe, and to achieve more circularity in the packaging space, we believe that paper and fiber have much to offer. However, there are some things to overcome regarding barrier sealability.”

The packagers reinforced the paper for candies so the packaging would not break.Euro hole reinforcement
Andreas Rothschink, head of product development and technical service, consumer packaging at Walki Group, explains that paper pouches being weak is the reason why many confectionary brands have not implemented paper solutions.

“Paper pouches have until now not been sturdy enough to prevent the tearing of the pouch at the hole punching, and this has indeed been a reason why only a few confectionary brand owners have yet to transition from film to paper,” he says.

“The task was to come up with a completely fiber-based pouch but designed in such a way that the pouch would not risk being torn at the hole punching.”

Nadja Richter, head of communications and marketing at Rovema, adds: “We have been thinking of different solutions for reinforced euro hole pouches for a long time. We knew it could work on our machines, but we needed to find the right partner.”

Maintaining production 
The companies explain that for production reasons, it is essential to ensure that the transition from plastics to paper does not result in less output or other inconveniences for brand owners. 

Rovema can adapt its machines for paper pouches without losing production speed. “Our machines are very flexible, and we can adapt them from plastic to paper,” says Richter.

Rothschink adds: “There is no additional effort needed for the brand owner or the company filling the pouches – they get a ready solution.”

The pouch can also be used in non-food segments for home hardware materials like screws or toys such as plastic bricks.

By Sabine Waldeck