Innovation Zone Snapshot – Nestle to supply brands for Argentinian packaging-free chain

ThePackHub Innovation Zone Snapshot

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#1 Nestle to supply brands for Argentinian packaging-free chain

Cero Market, which makes the claim of being the first packaging-free supermarket chain in Argentina, has entered into a partnership with Nestlé to supply three of its biggest brands without packaging. Nestlé will supply its Maggi puree, Nescafé instant coffee and Nesquik cocoa powder to Cero Market, whose slogan is  ‘Zero containers, zero waste and zero minimum quantities’. Selling items by weight, the customer takes exactly the amount they need, promoting zero waste. The initiative helps Nestlé in their sustainability goals. They are aiming for their packaging to be 100% recyclable or reusable by 2025, thus ensuring that none of their packaging ends up in landfill. Cero Market currently has twelve stores, selling, among other items, hygiene products, cleaning, infusions, seeds, legumes, flours, jams and sweets.

#2 Fragrance closure made from rPET

Texen is a leading French supplier of product solutions for the luxury & beauty markets. Luxury beauty and fragrance brand Chanel were looking for a more environmentally-friendly option for their jar closures. Texen were able to offer an rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate), made from recycled PET bottles. The cap contains a black dye that was specifically developed to make it detectable in optical recycling streams, aiding recycling of the component and allowing better management throughout its life cycle. The new cap was developed using Texen’s polycondensation technology, and gives the same mechanical and sensory properties as the previous cap. Texen claim to be able to produce the raw material and manufacture a finished component in less than twenty minutes. The new cap will be used on Chanel’s Le Lift and Hydra Beauty skincare lines.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

#3 Biodegradable corn-based material helps increase food shelf life

A newly developed packaging material could help reduce the amount of spoiled food that gets discarded by making produce last longer. The biodegradable development is being overseen by scientists from Harvard University and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) of Singapore. The material is made via an electrospinning process. Its fibres consist of a zein corn protein combined with starch, cellulose and some other naturally-derived polymers. The zein is acquired from corn gluten, a waste by-product from ethanol production. The fibres are ingrained with antibacterial compounds such as thyme, citric acid and acetic acid. The compounds stay within the fibres when the film is wrapped around food. If enzymes are produced by bacteria, the compounds are released that then kill the bacteria and any fungi that may be present. In tests, strawberries wrapped in the new film stayed mould-free for seven days compared to four days for fruit kept in conventional fruit baskets.  The material is still some way from any market commercialisation.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

#4 Supermarket trial of refillable draught beer concept commences

Packaging question of the week

Will there be more innovation in the packaging industry in 2022 compared to last year? Vote and comment on LinkedIn now. 

Last time, In terms of sustainability, 69% believe that the packaging industry is pulling in the same direction more now than in 2020. See votes and comments here.