Finland-based dairy producer Valio is now selling its products in Tetra Pak’s carton packaging made entirely from plant-based materials, becoming the first company in the world to do so.
Manufactured completely from a combination of plastics derived from plants and paperboard, Tetra Rex Bio-based cartons feature low density polyethylene that is used to create the laminate film for the packaging material. The neck of the opening, together with the high density polyethylene used for the cap, is derived from sugar cane.
Tetra Rex Bio-based will be available in the retail shelves in Finland from this week and will sell Valio Eila, a lactose free semi-skimmed milk drink from Valio.
The product will be trialed across outlets in Finland until mid March, based on which, Valio will make a decision to extend Tetra Pak's new carton range to its other products in the chilled range.
The products will be available in one-litre capacity Tetra Rex Bio-based packages, with a TwistCap OSO 34 opening. They will be produced at Valio's Jyvaskyla dairy in Finland, using a standard Tetra Pak TR/28 filling machine.
Commenting on the development, Tetra Pak executive vice president of Product Management & Commercial Operations Charles Brand said: "To finally see fully renewable packages on shop shelves is a fantastic feeling ... and bears testimony to the focused efforts of the many customers, suppliers and Tetra Pak employees involved in making this a reality.
"We have been gradually increasing the use of renewable materials in our packages over the years, and that work will continue, as we look for ways to extend the fully-renewable concept to other parts of our portfolio without compromising safety, quality or functionality."
The Tetra Rex fully renewable package can be identified by the words "Bio-based" printed on the gable of the package and are traceable to their origins.
Image: Valio to sell products in Tetra Pak Bio-based cartons. Photo courtsey of Tetra Pak.
