COVERIS has teamed up with start-up business Notpla to deliver a range of printed, biodegradable and recyclable food cartons.
Using Notpla’s barrier coating technology, the new specially coated board packs are said to address both packaging and food waste challenges.
The packs replace all-plastic containers or hybrid filmic-laminated board solutions requiring a plastic liner for grease and moisture resistance.
Applied to ‘sustainably sourced’ cardboard, Notpla Coating is described as a unique mix of seaweed and plant extracts that provides a food-safe barrier function, and which disappears naturally in 4-6 weeks at end of life. Notpla Coating allows the pack to be both recyclable and home compostable.
As the exclusive development and print partner for the new coated board packaging, Coveris has worked with Notpla to deliver a fully printed, branded solution. Using water-based inks, the printed packs are approved for food-contact and, Coveris added, offer an advanced oil barrier function that ‘outperforms’ plastic in most applications.
Notpla has also devised a comparative test that shows how rapidly Notpla Coating is broken down by nature, in comparison to other coating materials for food-to-go applications, while other industry testing is underway.
Available as both off-the-shelf Notpla own-brand takeaway boxes and custom printed formats, through Notpla’s existing partnership with Just Eat Takeaway.com, the new packs were introduced at the Women’s Euro 2022 final at Wembley Stadium.
Emma Moate, Coveris’ food-on-the-move category director, said, “We’re really proud to have worked alongside Notpla as their development and print partner, marking a major step in delivering a more sustainable future for foodservice brands and products. Given the functional requirements of packaging combined with disposal challenges in this sector, the new coated packs really are the packaging of the future, supporting our journey towards No Waste through combined food and packaging waste reduction for our customers.”
