Weekly Roundup: Smarties go plastic-free, Tetra Pak welcomes new CEO

25 Jan 2019

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25 Jan 2019 --- In packaging news this week, Nestlé has committed to a range of new sustainability measures, including the planned launch of Smarties in plastic-free packaging this year and the elimination of all plastic straws from its products next month. Similarly, KFC has pledged to use 100 percent “recoverable or reusable” plastic packaging by 2025 across its restaurants. Carton innovators Tetra Pak has appointed Adolfo Orive as its new CEO effective 1 April, 2019.

In brief: Plastics action
Next month, Nestlé is to begin eliminating plastic straws from its products and replacing them with paper alternatives. The food and beverage giant also plans to launch paper-based packaging for Nesquik in this quarter and for the Yes! snack bar later in the year, while rolling out plastic-free Smarties packaging this year and paper-based Milo pouches in 2020. “We believe in the value of recyclable and compostable paper-based materials and biodegradable polymers, in particular where recycling infrastructure does not exist,” notes Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider.

Waitrose Duchy Organic recyclable cardboard grape punnets. In the foodservice sector, KFC has become the latest fast food chain to commit to 100 percent “recoverable or reusable” plastic packaging by 2025, notably straws, plastic bags, cutlery and lids. The chain has developed a roadmap to help achieve this goal, which includes securing partnerships with major suppliers to help identify plastic-alternative options. Parent company Yum Brands previously set a target of 100 percent fiber-based packaging by 2020 and has reached 69 percent, according to the 2017 Global Citizenship & Sustainability Report published last year.

This week, UK supermarket Waitrose took another step forward in its bid to reduce plastic from its shelves with the introduction of recyclable cardboard grape punnets, which will replace traditional plastic punnets for its Waitrose Duchy Organic and Waitrose 1 Sable grapes. Waitrose is the first UK supermarket to sell grapes packaged this way. The switch to recyclable cardboard will save an initial 12 tons of plastic a year, with this figure set to rise with more grapes expected to make the change later in the year, the supermarket states.Tetra Pak's new President & CEO, Adolfo Orive.

Yesterday morning, Kenya’s Clean Seas-Flipflopi expedition – a boat made entirely from reused plastic collected on beach clean-ups – set sail this morning, kicking off the first leg of its journey towards Zanzibar. The CleanSeas – Flopflopi team will make several stops along the coast on their way to Zanzibar, spreading awareness and solutions to beat pollution to coastal communities, schools and government officials along the way. The first half of the journey will see the expedition stop in Malindi, Watamu and Kilifi, before arriving in Mombasa with the aim of highlighting some of the most effective policy measures that the government of Kenya is undertaking in the fight against plastic pollution.

In brief: Business news
The Tetra Pak Board has appointed Adolfo Orive, President & CEO of Tetra Pak, effective April 1, 2019. The appointment follows the decision by Dennis Jönsson to step down from his position after 14 years as President & CEO and 36 years with the company. Adolfo Orive, presently Cluster Vice President North Central and South America, joined Tetra Pak in 1993. Prior to his present position, he had several managerial positions in the Group, including Managing Director of Colombia, Spain and Cluster Vice President North and Central Europe. He joined the Tetra Pak Global Leadership Team in 2014.

The world’s third largest flexible packaging producer, Constantia Flexibles, signed binding agreements to acquire a majority stake in TT-print on December 21. The acquisition is expected to be closed in the first quarter of 2019. TT-print was established in 1999 and has about 100 employees today. The production focus of the company lies on packaging solutions for the pharma industry. Some of the core products are printed aluminum blister foil and coldform. “With this acquisition, we will be taking a leading position in the Russian pharma packaging industry. It requires local presence to serve the rapidly growing Russian packaging market,” says Alexander Baumgartner, CEO, Constantia Flexibles.

Kenya's Clean Seas-Flipflopi expeditionDS Smith’s Rosà factory, situated in the prosecco wine-growing regions of Valdobbiadene, Italy, has invested in a new BOBST production line in order to improve the speed and quality of its corrugated packaging. The FFG924 NT RS RapidSet flexo-folder-gluer is a new state-of-the-art converting machine which achieves – in one pass – “first-class printing, industry-leading die-cutting and accurate folding, and excellent flexibility.” It is also associated with shorter set-up times and fewer stoppages, with easy change and cleaning of the anilox rollers. “Our clients distribute their products all over the country, and all over the world,” comments Alessandro Cebin, General Manager of DS Smith’s Rosà factory. “They need high quantities of reliable, attractive, consistent corrugated packaging. They are rightly demanding in this context, requiring highly sophisticated graphics – we have to succeed in producing a product that meets their expectations.”