Meal kit company HelloFresh has selected Tetra Pak’s sustainable carton packaging for its food products in European markets.

Tetra Recart carton package

Image: Tetra Recart carton package. Photo: courtesy of Tetra Pak International S.A.

With the latest agreement, HelloFresh branded beans, tomatoes chickpeas and lentils are now available in Tetra Recart carton packages in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands.

HelloFresh has been using Tetra Recart in the US since 2017. Tetra Recart carton package is said to serve as a better packaging alternative with 80% lower carbon footprint and significant weight and space savings compared to tin cans and glass jars.

HelloFresh Global senior global procurement manager Jakob Schmidt said: “Introducing the Tetra Recart carton to our sustainable packaging portfolio is a strategic move for HelloFresh, helping us reduce our carbon footprint through improved logistics efficiencies.

“Tetra Pak’s innovative packaging enables HelloFresh to consistently deliver a quality product and a great opening experience for our customers.”

Serving as alternative to steel cans and glass jars, Tetra Recart is a retortable carton package that can be used for shelf-stable products such as vegetables, beans, tomatoes, pet food, soups and sauces.

Tetra Recart package features a new kind of packaging material designed to withstand the steaming or ‘retorting’ process.

The light weight package is provided with a smart rectangular shape, which enables to fit six to 10 times more empty cartons on a single truck compared to cans. It is also provided with laser perforated tear opening and simple re-closure for easy handling.

In addition, Tetra Recart packages are easy to flatten and fit right into existing carton recycling processes.

As per PlanetRetail RNG, the global online food spending is expected to reach $625bn (£490bn) in 2023 from $213bn (£167bn) in 2018.

Tetra Pak’s Tetra Recart MD Peter Arvidsson said: “We see a huge growth in the meal kit category as consumers demand easier shopping experiences and services offering less planning, shorter cooking time, all while maintaining the quality of the ingredients.”

Tetra Pak is one of three companies in the Tetra Laval Group, a private group that started in Sweden. The other two firms are DeLaval and Sidel.