MONDI has announced the development of a lighter and more sustainable packaging solution for banana boxes.
The project began during a customer visit in Latin America when Mondi’s technical team for containerboard explored whether the standard box could be made lighter and more sustainable without compromising on strength.
What followed was an international collaboration between Mondi, trading partner Europcell, Ecuadorian banana exporter Incarpalm, and a European importer. Together, the teams redesigned the structure and paper composition of the traditional banana box, testing multiple scenarios to balance durability, weight, and humidity resistance.
The new concept combines ProVantage SmartKraft Brown, said to be known for its high strength and protective qualities, with ProVantage Frescoflute, a semi-chemical fluting that aims to enhance firmness in lightweight packaging boxes. The result is a box made with around 40% recycled fibre and up to 10% less weight than the previous design.
To validate performance under real-world conditions, a full-scale production trial took place in Ecuador. Bananas packed in the new boxes were shipped to Europe over a 33-day journey, with sensors monitoring humidity and temperature. Despite extreme humidity levels of up to 100%, Mondi revealed the boxes maintained their integrity throughout transit.
“Seeing the new box perform under such tough conditions was incredibly rewarding,” said Marek Motylewski, technical service expert for containerboard products. “It started as a question on a customer visit and turned into a solution that delivers measurable benefits for the entire supply chain.”
The success has sparked interest among other fruit exporters and retailers. With upcoming regulations, including a 2026 EU ban on plastic wrap inside banana boxes, Mondi said demand for fibre-based alternatives is expected to rise.
