With several successful product launches now in the UK Coveris brings its latest dairy packaging developments to one of Europe’s leading packaging events, FachPack 2022 in Nuremberg, Germany. Supporting market demands for sustainability, weight reduction, visual appeal and shelf-life protection, Coveris offers the show’s visitors a complete range of packaging materials, from barrier films to pre-made packs, peelable to re-closable lidding films, thermoforming films and many more.
“Our mission is to deliver major sustainable benefits in line with customers’ sustainable commitments as well as our own plastic and food waste reduction targets. That is why we offer real innovation with no downsides to freshness or performance for technically challenging, extended shelf-life products”, explained Eric Valette, BU Innovation Director at Coveris.
Fighting both food and packaging waste
Traditionally grated cheese has been packaged in mixed, nylon laminate pouches - one of the hardest to recyclable materials. Driven by Coveris’ unrivalled R&D capabilities across extrusion, film and food science and conversion, it has developed a first-of-its-kind reduced plastic, recyclable PE barrier monolaminate for cheese under its leading MonoFlexBE brand.
Having launched with several leading retailers in the UK, including Tescos and Iceland, the packs offer significant material savings per pack. Most recently the lightweight packs have helped support Iceland’s commitment to become the UK’s first plastic-neutral supermarket with a total plastic weight saving of around 7 tonnes per annum, whilst 41 tonnes of plastic are now easily recyclable. A similar project was launched earlier with Tesco supermarkets in the UK, where Coveris helped deliver a total plastic weight saving of 32 tonnes.
Visitors at FachPack 2022 can also experience first-hand the benefits of Coveris reclosable and peelable films. Using PE, PP or PET co-ex films offers the same high-quality product protection, while increasing the consumer convenience and pack functionality thanks to burst peel layer and reclose options (up to 10 times).
Delivering tailor-made solutions
Another breakthrough in the dairy market presented at FachPack is a yoghurt die-cut lid film made of polypropylene. By replacing the standard aluminium foil, the lid can finally be recycled in the same stream as the rest of the yoghurt cup, increasing the recycling rate. What is more, this recyclable alternative offers the same barrier properties required by typical yoghurt films, is temperature-resistant, and ensures that the posts can be stacked and transported in a safe and stable way. As a result, the change from aluminum foil to polypropylene film does not affect the shelf life of the yoghurt cup while offering many sustainable benefits.
A major advantage for dairy brands is also the support of a network of industry-leading analytical R&D centers and labs, including its Food Science Lab in the UK and Film Science Lab network across the UK and Europe. Offering onsite analysis, testing and development, they also offer validation of mechanical and seal performance for all products. As a result, cheese brands can customise their solutions to answer both their customers’ needs for enhanced convenience for opening and reclosing and reduced plastic use and ensure their performance in-line and on-shelf. Additionally, Coveris’ wide team of experts is available both locally and regionally for training and everyday customer support.
“At Coveris we listen carefully to the needs of our dairy customers and use our long experience and unrivaled capabilities to provide optimal packaging solutions. As a result, we are proud to be the first to market grated cheese in the UK in fully recyclable and lightweight packs and hope to promote this technology in European stores as well”, said Katja Killian, Sales Director Food at Coveris.
To learn more about our innovations, you can visit Coveris booth no. 232 in hall 7 at Fachpack trade show in Nuremberg, Germany, from 27th to 29th September 2022.
Press contact
Barbara Sternig
Director Marketing & Communications
E: Barbara.Sternig@coveris.com