Packaging
New corrugated berry packaging complements premium strawberries with top quality print
Wednesday 09. December 2020 - Corrugated board is traditionally used for packaging to protect berries and fruit throughout the production chain. However, the added value it can give to sales recognition and branding goes even further. Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, and DS Smith have implemented a modern and top-quality berry box together with their partner network.
The packaging is printed using process colour and Full HD technology, which has reduced ink consumption while enabling exceptionally high image quality and bright colours.
“The design of the packaging did not use vector graphics commonly used in berry boxes, instead a photo-based multicolour print was printed on the corrugated board. This process was extremely demanding, and required a high-quality coated white kraftliner,” says Ville Laiho from DS Smith, the packaging producer. The EB-flute corrugated board packaging was made using MetsäBoard Pro WKL 175 g/m² as topliner.
The berry box is safe for direct contact with food thanks to material made of fresh fibres. In addition, a package made of fresh fibres withstands humid conditions better than a package made of recycled fibres. On the way from the field to the consumer, the moisture conditions can vary considerably, the packaging must therefore protect the product throughout the chain. After use, the corrugated box is also easy to recycle.
“Sustainability is a key trend, which can be seen in consumers and brands wanting to move from plastic to fibre based packaging and to reduce the carbon footprint of packaging. Packaging made from fresh fibre paperboard is therefore the material of the future,” says Ilkka Harju Packaging Design Director, EMEA and APAC at Metsä Board. “The range of premium berry boxes will soon be completed with a carton that can be used to replace plastic retail packaging.”
In addition to DS Smith, there were two other companies from Metsä Boards Excellence Centre partner network involved: Marvaco, who took care of the repro work and Futupack, who will deliver smaller quantities to farmers in cooperation with DS Smith.