Fresh convenience specialist partners with Avantium, which plans to build world’s largest PEF production facility in the Netherlands
Dutch company Royal Vezet, a major supplier of fresh convenience vegetables, fruits and salads, has partnered with packaging specialist Avantium to develop new produce packaging for the Netherlands’ largest retailer Albert Heijn.
Starting with salad bowls, the packs will be made from a 100 per cent plant-based, fully recyclable polymer called polyethylene furanoate (PEF), which apparently offers a “renewable and circular” system.
As part of the project, Avantium also said it planned to open the world’s first commercial production centre for PEF’s main ingredient, furandicarboxylic acid, in the north-east of the country in 2025.
This will be used to help Royal Vezet switch to a greener solution for the estimated 6mn packs it produces each week.
“Partnering with Avantium aligns with our mission to make tasty and healthy food available for everybody, while minimising our environmental footprint,” said Anouk Wissink, CEO of Royal Vezet.
“We are eager to demonstrate the potential of PEF-based packaging and its benefits for our products and Albert Heijn’s customers.”
Albert Heijn plans to introduce the material to salad bowls first, but will consider extending it to other segments.
CEO Marit van Egmond commented: “We are proud to introduce PEF-based salad bowl trays, furthering our commitment to sustainability. This initiative follows our successful collaboration with Refresco and Avantium on PEF-based bottles for fruit juices. By expanding our use of PEF, we continue to lead the way in offering eco-friendly packaging solutions to our customers.”
Tom an Aken, CEO of Avantium, said the company was pleased to partner with Royal Vezet and Albert Heijn on such an innovative project.
“This collaboration is a proof to the power of strategic partnerships in driving sustainable innovation. By combining Avantium’s PEF with Royal Vezet’s commitment to fresh, high-quality products and Albert Heijn’s extensive market reach, we are convinced to make a significant impact on the food packaging industry.”
He added: “Together, we can accelerate the transition to more sustainable packaging solutions, promoting healthy products in eco-friendly packaging that benefit both consumers and the environment.”
