SMURFIT Westrock has revealed details of its sustainable seafood packaging solutions for Dingwall-based Keltic Seafare.
Keltic Seafare specialises in live langoustines, lobsters and hand-dived scallops, caught using traditional creel pots and divers. Their catch is shipped overnight in refrigerated transport to restaurants, where next-day freshness is essential.
The business approached Smurfit Westrock seeking a custom, sustainable seafood packaging solution. Keltic Seafare had recently switched from expanded polystyrene (EPS) boxes to a solid board packaging design with an insulated foam liner. While this reduced reliance on EPS, it introduced new challenges: the boxes lacked any Keltic Seafare branding and were not fully optimised for sustainable disposal by their high-end restaurant customers.
With many of their Michelin-starred clients based in central London, the ability to easily separate and dispose of packs in standard municipal recycling bins was a key requirement.
The requirement was for packaging for seafood delivery that was recyclable, moisture-resistant, and capable of protecting live shellfish over long distances – all while enhancing premium brand image and supporting sustainability goals.
The team at Smurfit Westrock Tannochside near Glasgow created a fully recyclable, insulated solution that keeps Keltic Seafare’s live shellfish and scallops protected. The outer cases feature a moisture-resistant coating that is said to shrug off seawater and wet handling, keeping the boxes strong and the printed branding ‘pristine’ from Dingwall to London.
Inside, integrated corrugated insulation and optimised gel pack placement are designed to maintain the low temperatures required for live langoustines, lobsters and scallops.
For Keltic Seafare’s delicate langoustine shipments, the solution features a dual inner box system with divisions to keep shellfish secure and separated. These inner boxes are wrapped with T-piece liners and gel packs, creating a fully insulated chamber inside the outer case that maintains the required cold chain.
Scallops are packed directly into the barrier-coated, insulated outer case with gel packs, while the moisture-resistant, fully recyclable design aims to safeguard the packaging and branding throughout transit.
Following successful trials and 100% customer satisfaction, Smurfit Westrock explained that the new solution has strengthened Keltic Seafare’s reputation with clients and demonstrated that sustainability and performance can go hand in hand.
“Working with Smurfit Westrock Tannochside ticked every box for Keltic Seafare,” said Robert MacKinnon, procurement manager at Keltic Seafare. “The team created seafood packaging that perfectly balanced our need for eco-conscious packaging, whilst also boosting ease and speed of assembly, branding and customer satisfaction.”
Aishling Bradford, business development manager at Smurfit Westrock Tannochside, added, “The seafood packaging solution Smurfit Westrock Tannochside created for Keltic Seafare shows that moisture-resistance and temperature-control doesn’t have to come at the cost of branding, speed and sustainability. This was a challenging project at times, as Keltic Seafare had a lot of requirements that needed to be met, but it enabled us to truly put our design skills to the test, without compromising on any key features.”
