SMURFIT Kappa has launched a sustainable new pack which keeps frozen and chilled foods fresh throughout the supply chain.
Made from a 100% paper-based combination of Hexacomb and corrugated, the Thermo Box is said to keep frozen food at temperatures similar to expanded polystyrene (EPS) boxes.
The box was created after Smurfitt Kappa was approached by Patani Global Food B.V., a global supplier of fresh and frozen foods. The firm ships goods from Amsterdam to worldwide locations using EPS boxes, but had become concerned at the amount of litter washing up on beaches so the company wanted an alternative solution that would not harm the environment.
Smurfitt Kappa said that the new Thermo Box offers greater flexibility than EPS as it can be stored flat, therefore reduced warehouse costs, different sizes that can easily be created and the corrugated exterior offers good branding opportunities.
Patrick Oostveen, managing director at Patani Global Food B.V. said, “Smurfit Kappa undertook an analysis of our supply chain to grasp all the challenges and complexities. We did a series of temperature tests to compare the new pack with the EPS box and the results showed that the Thermo Box is a really excellent product that more than fits the brief. The average temperature was even kept lower for a longer time than when using the EPS boxes.”
Arco Berkenbosch, Smurfit Kappa VP of innovation & development, added, “This project was the result of a successful collaborative process between Smurfit Kappa and Patani Global Food B.V. Our starting point, as always, was to see how we could provide a completely biodegradable product that would not compromise on any of the required functionality.
“The paper-based Better Planet Packaging solution we came up with draws strength from its corrugated and honeycomb capabilities and offers significant potential for both fresh and frozen goods and, indeed, the eCommerce sector.”
