Under the agreement, AmBev will buy PEF from Avantium's Flagship Plant and use the material to create bottles for its line of soft beverages
Avantium inks offtake agreement with AmBev on PEF for soft drink bottles. (Credit: Hans from Pixabay)
Chemical technology firm Avantium and AmBev, part of the AB InBev Group, have signed an offtake agreement on polyethylene furanoate (PEF) for soft drink bottles.
Under the agreement, AmBev will buy PEF from Avantium’s Flagship Plant and use the material to create bottles for its line of soft beverages.
PEF is a 100% plant-based and recyclable alternative to plastic.
AmBev and Avantium have been collaborating closely over the past year to produce multilayer PET bottles for AmBev soft drinks. The bottles use PEF as a 100% plant-based, recyclable high-barrier liner.
Avantium said PEF has significant practical advantages as well as advantages for sustainability, such as exceptional barrier properties.
The oxygen and CO2 barriers of PEF are both 10 times and 16 times better than those of PET, respectively.
This maximises the taste and fizziness of the soft drink while also extending its shelf life, said Avantium.
AmBev sustainability manager Karina Turci said: “AmBev is always looking to make a meaningful impact in the world. And to do so, since 2020, we are committed to eliminate plastic pollution from our packaging in Brazil – by 2025.
“To accomplish this, AmBev is not only looking into recycling and reducing plastic use but is also investing in innovative sustainable solutions.
“Over the past year, AmBev has assessed PEF as a sustainable packaging solution for the soft drinks portfolio and we are impressed with the sustainability and performance characteristics of this innovative material.”
Avantium is now building the first industrial facility in Delfzijl, the Netherlands for FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid) manufacturing from plant-based sugars.
The company anticipates opening the FDCA Flagship Plant by the end of 2023 and will make PEF commercially available starting in 2024.