Yes! we can: Sappi-Constantia Flexibles collaboration drives innovation in paper pack functionality

08 Nov 2019 --- Global diversified wood fiber company Sappi grabbed headlines in July after it enabled Nestlé’s YES! snack bars to become “the first confectionary bar on the market” to be packaged in paper using a high-speed flow wrap technology. The supplier continues to take great strides in developing breakthrough proprietary barrier technology, working in partnership with the Swiss food giant and packaging supplier Constantia Flexibles to develop solutions suitable for recyclable paper production processes.

PackagingInsights speaks to Cora Helberg, Head of Marketing Packaging and Speciality Papers at Sappi Europe, about the sustainability and functionality qualities of the South African-headquartered company’s Sappi Guard product range.

“Nowadays, it’s important for brand owners to offer sustainable packaging and customers make their decision according to this criterion. With packaging made from Sappi Guard papers, which is recyclable in the paper stream, brand owners are further strengthening confidence in their brand while saving time and money,” Helberg says.

The most notable example to date is Nestlé’s YES! snack bars, which are now packaged in Sappi Guard paper using a high-speed flow wrap technology. YES! snack bars were previously packaged in flexible plastic wrappers. The paper wrapper represents a significant step in Nestlé’s commitment to making all of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. It is made from certified Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) paper and also has approval from The Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification.Sappi Guard paper is suitable for primary or secondary packaging for dry and slightly oily foods such as pasta, rice, cereals, tea, herbs and powders.

Helberg also highlights that one of the major challenges clients are facing in their attempts to transition from plastic to paper wrappers is the runnability of paper on packaging lines because it “behaves differently to ‘conventional’ packaging material.” Through proactive cooperation with machine suppliers, Sappi has built knowledge expertise on potential sticking points concerning the machine runnability of its paper solutions.

Furthermore, the 2017 acquisition of barrier film technology company Rockwell Solutions of Dundee, Scotland, allowed Sappi to enhance its product offering by adding recyclable barrier coatings to its products.

“Working on the development of Sappi Guard, we changed the approach to offer a barrier that fits the product and provides the storage life that is needed. Our product range offers customized barrier properties, which enables the brand owner to keep the product protected as long as necessary,” Helberg explains.

Brand owners can use the four sustainable paper solutions from the globally available Guard family as primary or secondary packaging for dry and slightly oily foods such as pasta, rice, cereals, tea, herbs and various powders.

Guard M barrier papers are also suitable as liners for transport packaging as they prevent mineral oil from recycled cardboard and paper from seeping into the food.Sappi's paper solutions can be customized to provide suitable barrier properties for different foods.

Paper in, plastic out
Brands are increasingly making the switch from plastic to paper. According to Innova Market Insights, we are entering a new era of paper-based packaging, fueled by anti-plastic sentiment. Mixed material packaging, where the components cannot be easily separated, is on its way out, being replaced by either 100 percent paper-based or hybrid paperboard-plastic packaging.

In July, Nestlé Japan announced that it will replace the plastic wrapping on its KitKat candy bars with paper. The Japanese market’s material switch will occur across five KitKat multipack products from September 2020 and across all individual products in 2021.

This trend will also penetrate premium ranges, including seasonal confectionery, which has traditionally been resistant to adopting anything that could compromise on the product’s luxury feel, Innova Market Insights notes.

There is more to come from Sappi’s functional paper packaging solutions and development is ongoing, Helberg confirms.

During FachPack 2019 in September, Sappi launched its expanded range of sustainable packaging papers, which now includes options with integrated heat sealing and barrier functions to replace PE-coatings.

By Joshua Poole