Waitrose & Partners has launched its Italian ready meal range in the new fiber-based tray manufactured by Finnish food packaging firm Huhtamaki.
Image: Waitrose & Partners is launching its Italian ready meal range in the new fiber-based trays. Photo: courtesy of Waitrose.
The trays, called Fresh, uses fibre as the base material, which is provided by Swedish forest company Södra. Suited for both microwave and regular ovens, the recyclable trays are packed at Saladworks, and are certified for home composting.
Waitrose & Partners UK packaging development manager Nikki Grainge said: “We have made a commitment to move out of black plastic by the end of 2019.
“We have been testing the new trays since May 2018 and have received very positive feedback from our customers.
“Now, with the current launch on Italian range moving to the new tray, we’ll be able to move nearly 9 million meals out of black plastic.”
The Finnish food packaging firm said that the new fibre-based trays serve as an alternative to food packaging for trays made from black plastic.
Huhtamaki project manager Steve Davey said: “The project started already in 2016 with the aim to find alternative food packaging for trays made from black plastic, most often CPET.
“The reason to avoid this material is not only its fossil origin but also because it is problematic to recycle due to the detection systems used in end-of-life material separation.”
In April 2019, Huhtamaki has opened new flexible packaging unit in Egypt, marking its entry into manufacturing flexible packaging in Africa.
Located in the greater Cairo area, the new greenfield facility has space for future expansion and will employ approximately 250 people.
The new manufacturing unit is owned and operated as a joint venture, which is 75% owned by Huhtamaki while the remaining 25% is owned by Ayman Korra, who has been Huhtamaki’s joint venture partner in the Egyptian fiber packaging business since 2003.
Employing approximately 17,700 people, Finland-based Huhtamaki is engaged in manufacturing packaging for food and drink industry. It has a network of 78 manufacturing units and additional 24 sales only offices in 34 countries.