CanCollar Eco packaging, which was developed by WestRock, is produced in Mexico by Grupo Gondi
Grupo Modelo collaborates with WestRock and Grupo Gondi in transition to CanCollar Eco packaging. (Credit: Business Wire)
Grupo Modelo, part of Anheuser-Busch InBev, has selected WestRock’s CanCollar Eco packaging to significantly minimise plastic waste.
Grupo Modelo, in collaboration with WestRock and Grupo Gondi, is investing up to $4m in the sustainable packaging to avoid the use of plastic rings on cans sold in Quintana Roo, a Mexican state on the Yucatan Peninsula.
The recyclable CanCollar Eco packaging has been selected by the beer company to replace hard-to-recycle plastic packaging, thereby helping to eliminate more than 100 tonnes of plastic waste.
Produced using recyclable paperboard, the CanCollar Eco packaging is said to use the least amount of material required to hold and keep beer cans secure across the supply chain.
CanCollar Eco uses only a paperboard clip to hold the upper part of the cans compared to cardboard box that completely covers the product. It helps to eliminate around 12 million plastic rings per annum from the market.
Grupo Modelo sustainability regional director Soqui Calderon said: “At Grupo Modelo, we are continuing to evaluate various alternatives for plastic rings in the packaging of beer cans.
“This is how we discovered CanCollar Eco, a new solution developed by WestRock and produced in Mexico by Grupo Gondi.”
Grupo Modelo will use the sustainable packaging to eliminate plastic rings on all cans sold in Quintana Roo in two phases.
Initially, the beer company will use CanCollar Eco packaging to replace can rings on the 6-pack 355ml Corona Extra, Montejo and Modelo Especial products.
Later, the company will install a high speed CanCollar Fortuna machine in early stage of this year for the application of sustainable packaging to avoid the use of plastic rings on the 6-packs across the country.
The 6-packs consist of 355 million cans of Corona Extra, Montejo, Modelo Especial, Barrilito, Negra Modelo and Victoria.
CanCollar Fortuna machine will also be used for 4-pack 473 ml cans of Victoria, Modelo Especial and Corona.