Valio

Finland-based dairy producer Valio is now selling its products in Tetra Pak’s carton packaging, which is completely made from plant-based materials.

Valio Eila, a lactose free semi-skimmed milk drink, will be available in one-litre capacity Tetra Rex Bio-based packages with TwistCap OSO 34 across Finland, starting this week.

These products will be produced at Valio’s Jyväskylä dairy in Finland, using a standard Tetra Pak TR/28 filling machine.

Valio will initially trial the product across outlets in Finland until mid March, based on which, the dairy firm will make a decision to extend Tetra Pak’s new carton range to its other products in the chilled range.

Tetra Rex Bio-based cartons, which are made completely from a combination of plastics derived from plants and paperboard, feature low density polyethylene that is used to create the laminate film for the packaging material.

The neck of the opening, together with the high density polyethylene used for the cap, is derived from sugar cane.

Tetra Pak Product Management & Commercial Operations executive vice president Charles Brand said: "To finally see fully renewable packages on shop shelves is a fantastic feeling … and bears testimony to the focused efforts of the many customers, suppliers and Tetra Pak employees involved in making this a reality.

"We have been gradually increasing the use of renewable materials in our packages over the years, and that work will continue, as we look for ways to extend the fully-renewable concept to other parts of our portfolio without compromising safety, quality or functionality."

The Tetra Rex fully renewable package can be identified by the words "Bio-based" printed on the gable of the package and are traceable to their origins.

Image: Valio to sell products in Tetra Pak Bio-based cartons. Photo courtsey of Tetra Pak.