Tiny Tony's in Sappi's sustainable packaging

Tony’s Chocolonely had a clear idea of which packaging material its products should be wrapped in, avoiding film as a base material. This became important when the company was looking for the perfect solution for the secondary packaging of its recently introduced Tiny Tony’s portfolio extension – 20 small 9-gram chocolate bars which had to be packed into matching secondary packaging: a stand-up pouch for the retail distribution to different markets. 

Julia Wienk, sourcer at Tony’s Chocolonely, said: ‘We started by packing the Tiny Tony’s in cardboard boxes, but as demand increased, we also wanted to pack them in stand-up pouches for duty-free outlets and in supermarkets. The challenge was to find a paper that suited our requirements: a paper on which we could print with similarly high quality and which would be strong enough to hold 20 Tiny Tony’s.’ 

Furthermore, the new packaging had to meet fundamental requirements such as strict sourcing policy and guaranteed heat-sealability. In its search for the right product, the chocolate manufacturer was supported by two consulting partners: NOMI Co-Packing and Packaging Partners from the Netherlands. They identified Sappi as the ideal partner to produce the visually appealing pouches. 

Over eight months, Sappi closely supported the process, providing the company with various paper samples. Finally, Sappi Guard Nature MS from its paper-based and heat-sealable barrier-paper family delivered the best results in terms of strength, runnability, and good printability. 

Kerstin Teichmann, market manager, packaging solutions at Sappi Europe, commented: ‘Finding the perfect paper-based substrate for packaging the Tiny Tony’s was a real challenge. For example, during the testing phase, some pouches tore open at the bottom. Selecting the correct material thickness was, therefore, essential. Finally, we were able to narrow down the suitable substrates to Sappi Guard Nature MS with an 80 g/m² grammage.’ 

Sappi’s heat-sealable Guard Nature MS is specifically designed to meet the needs of the food industry as a sustainable alternative to multi-layer barrier films offering an integrated mineral oil barrier. 

‘Sappi Guard Nature MS is the perfect paper-based alternative for our pouches. Its appearance and processing features convinced us completely,’ added Julia Wienk. ‘Thanks to its recyclability in the paper waste stream and certificates such as PEFC and FSC, the packaging solution complements our concept of running the business with sustainability and consideration of natural resources in the foreground. Ultimately, we want to ensure that whenever someone enjoys Tiny Tony’s, they’re making a positive contribution to the environment.’