News
Veetee transitions to recyclable, paper-based packaging
The innovation comes as Mondi, a global leader in sustainable packaging and paper has collaborated with rice supplier Veetee.
Veetee Rice was born in a little two-silo rice mill in Perivale, north-west London in 1987 and inspired by family-run rice farms in India. By 2001, it has become one of the largest rice suppliers to the UK retail market.
Its new paper-packed rice is a direct response to consumer demands for more sustainable packaging and is said to provide a safe, secure and strong alternative to traditional plastic packs using Mondi’s FunctionalBarrier Paper.
Commenting on the announcement, James Brett, group marketing director for Veetee, said: “Our goal was to eliminate unsustainable packaging and we are very proud to have achieved that as a first to market in the UK – both with paper packaging and our unique Rice Box.
“Mondi shared our vision and was committed from the outset; the team’s expertise is second to none and we have both thoroughly enjoyed the collaboration. Following some capital investments enabling us to handle this new paper packaging, we are excited about this launch which we know consumers will welcome.”
Mondi provided a full in-house solution for Veetee for the new packaging – sourcing certified renewable material, producing the certified kraft paper, add barrier functionality and printing it, before delivering the final paper-based reels to Veetee for conversion and filling.
Several trials were carried out to ensure the packaging had the necessary barrier properties, providing protection against moisture and decent shelf-life.
The packs have also been OPRL certified as widely accepted for kerbside recycling in the UK.
Sustainability is at the centre of Mondi’s strategy, with a commitment to 2030 focused on circular driven solutions. Talking on the collaboration with Veetee, James Yarrow, regional sales UK & Ireland consumer flexibles at Mondi, said: “Like us, Veetee has their eyes on sustainability at all times: targeting net zero carbon emissions, reducing single use plastic and increasing closed loop recycling – our MAP2030 target is to make all our packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable.
“It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Veetee on their transition to a paper-based packaging.”
In other packaging news, Multivac has renovated its Swindon site to include a brand new training and demo space.
