Yangi advances fiber-based packaging with snap-fit closure technology

Yangi has introduced an undercut feature for its Cellera industrial dry-forming range of quick-service restaurant (QSR) applications that aims to ease use and handling for consumers. 

Undercuts are commonly used for snap-fit connections and secure closures to connect containers and lids. They have historically been hard to incorporate into fiber-based solutions due to material properties. 

“This is a new development we have worked on to have a good snap-on feature and an undercut feature to be able to fulfill the requirements of QSR,” Anna Altner, founder of Yangi, told Packaging Insights at Pack Expo 2026 in Chicago, US. 

She added that consumers “need to feel safe that the lid is not falling apart from the mug or the cup” when using the packaging. 

Yangi’s undercut feature is demonstrated on its coffee cup lid. According to the Sweden-based fiber technology company, when the undercut was tested through 10 simulated coffee pours over 10 minutes, the lid maintained a leak-tight seal and structural integrity when exposed to hot beverages at 93 degrees Celsius. 

Beyond coffee cup applications 

Yangi says the technology also has applications beyond QSR. The fitted closure can also be used for snack containers, takeaway containers, dessert and ice cream tubs, confectionery packaging, dry and ambient food containers, as well as personal care and cosmetics, according to the company. 

Carlo Semeraro, head of commercial partnerships at Yangi, says: “Achieving this level of precision in dry-molded fiber requires advanced tooling and forming expertise. 

“The coffee lid demonstrates the performance we can deliver today, but the real opportunity is applying this functionality to a much wider range of packaging applications.” 

Earlier this year, Yangi expanded its dry-forming molded fiber into the US market, aiming to tap into the “widening gap” between fiber-based packaging demand and domestic production capacity — especially as current US anti-dumping duties and tariffs on imported molded fiber products put pressure on brands to find domestic alternatives. 

Matching plastic on performance 

The undercut solution taps into current innovations that aim to ensure the efficacy of fiber-based packaging solutions as regulations and consumers demand alternatives to plastic. 

Johann Kaiser, CEO of Yangi, says that the goal of Yangi was never to “simply replace plastic” but to create fiber packaging that performs at the level the market demands. 

“Every new capability we develop reinforces fiber’s position as a competitive alternative to plastic by delivering the functionality, quality and industrial performance needed to drive the transition toward fiber-based packaging.” 

Yangi’s Cellera is formed in a dry-molding process, which it says helps reduce water and energy usage. Previously, Packaging Insights spoke to Altner about market hesitation toward fiber solutions, which she suggested is rooted in economic pressures and regulatory uncertainty.