Sappi and Innovia to showcase sustainable hot beverage packaging

Coteca is a global exhibition for the coffee, tea and cocoa industry, with the 2014 show taking place September 24-26 at Hamburg Messe in Germany.

Kerstin Dietze, marketing manager for speciality papers at Sappi Fine Paper Europe, said: ‘We are especially pleased to be bringing Sappi Algro Nature papers laminated with Innovia Films’ NatureFlex to this audience.

‘This unique laminated solution, developed collaboratively by Sappi and Innovia, is home compostable and designed for environmentally friendly packaging applications. At Sappi, the environment is everything, and Algro Nature with NatureFlex laminate is a great example of our dedication to sustainability making its way into the marketplace.’

Dietze noted that converters who have tested this laminated home-compostable product have been ‘enthusiastic’, finding that it functions well and is easy to print on with compostable inks, as well as being easy to heat seal and form into pouches, bags and flow wrap packs.

Neil Banerjee, market manager for Innovia Films, added: ‘Over the past few years, Sappi and Innovia have collaborated on a number of projects to leverage each other’s expertise in order to deliver a complete solution.

‘Coteca presents a great opportunity to showcase some of the work we have completed together and raise awareness in the marketplace. We look forward to talking with attendees about this highly effective and environmentally sustainable alternative for coffee and tea packaging.’

In addition to Algro Nature with a NatureFlex laminate, both Sappi Fine Paper Europe and Innovia Films will be showcasing an array of packaging products suitable for hot beverage markets.

Dietze concluded: ‘We are working closely in partnership with our customers in the packaging sector to help them identify the best means of differentiating their offerings while also expending significant resources in the development of new and innovative solutions that will help them reach that goal. We are extremely excited to be bringing the results of this work to Coteca to spread the word in that the future of coffee and tea packaging is here.’

Banerjee concluded: ‘We have advised companies around the world on the options available to them to replace existing non-renewable packaging formats with more sustainable options.  Many of the samples we have on show on the stand are good examples. There is certainly a move in the tea and coffee industry towards sustainable packaging.’