Mondi: Mono-Biomaterial Design Employing High Paper Recycling Rates
Mondi partnered with Austrian fruit preserves company Darbo to develop a more sustainable packaging solution. Fruit preserves are delivered to the point of sale in shelf-ready trays of multiple glass jars, traditionally made from a corrugated base and covered with a plastic film. Mondi developed a packaging solution that eliminates the use of plastic. The new packaging is 100% corrugated board, bearing multiple advantages. Being mono-material, the likelihood of incorrect disposal is reduced. Focusing on cardboard, the solution taps into the high 60% global recycling rate for paper products. The packaging itself is also made from 65% recycled content and 35% fresh fiber.
In practical terms, the packaging is easier to open than the previous design, saving time at the point of sale, yet it uses the existing production processes. The sturdy design is more durable in transportation, reducing food waste due to damages during transport
Company in brief
Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, contributing to a better world by making innovative packaging and paper solutions that are sustainable by design. Our business is fully integrated across the value chain – from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and plastic films to developing and manufacturing effective industrial and consumer packaging solutions. Sustainability is at the centre of our strategy and intrinsic in the way we do business. We lead the industry with our customer- centric approach, EcoSolutions, where we ask the right questions to find the most sustainable solution. In 2019, Mondi had revenues of €7.27 billion and underlying EBITDA of €1.66 billion.
Background
Given the clear preference by Austrian and German consumers for sustainably packaged goods, Darbo, an Austrian fruit preserves company, was looking for a sustainable packaging solution for shelf-ready trays that hold multiple glass jars of spoonable fruit snacks. Previously the brandowner used a combination of a corrugated tray bottom covered in a plastic wrap, and wanted to find a recyclable alternative to plastic made from renewable materials, in order to better align with Darbo’s natural products. In addition, the new packaging solution had to be compatible with existing production processes.
Initiative
The challenge was to develop a corrugated box that remains stable enough in the packaging machine and during transport, yet be easy to open at the point of sale. Mondi developed a solution in collaboration with the machine supplier to meet the brandowner’s requirements. The resulting one-piece corrugated box has a sturdy lid and is perforated around the middle so the lid can be easily removed, turning the box into a shelf-ready tray.
Sustainability criteria
There’s no single route to sustainability. It’s about finding the best one for our customers. As a manufacturer of paper and flexible plastic packaging, Mondi is uniquely positioned to find the most sustainable and suitable packaging solutions - paper where possible, plastic when useful.
The solution for Darbo is a wrap-around box made from 100% corrugated cardboard material, which itself comes from sustainably sourced wood fibre (65% recycled and 35% fresh fibre). This solution eliminates the plastic wrap, thereby avoiding potential future plastic waste in the environment. The new packaging is also 100% recyclable, with no need to separate materials before recycling. The environmental impact of transportation is also reduced as the packaging is sourced from a nearby supplier.
Business case
The drive to move to a more sustainable packaging solution came both internally from Darbo, and also in response to a clear preference by consumers in Austria and Germany for sustainably packaged goods. The new solution meets the customer’s needs, reduces the use of plastic, and offers a circular solution that is 100% recyclable and made from renewable materials. In addition it works efficiently in the existing production process and is sourced from a local supplier with strong environmental credentials.
Next Steps
In the future, this same solution can be scaled up through its adoption by additional costumers.
More information
Waltraud Seiner, Head of Marketing & Communication, Corrugated Packaging, Email: waltraud.seiner@mondigroup.com or contact our Sustainable Development team at sd@mondigroup.com