Revolutionizing Bakery Packaging: How the Food Industry is Embracing Sustainable Solutions in the Delivery Era

Bakery packaging is evolving. It’s driven by what consumers want and the need for better delivery options. With a focus on performance and sustainability, the food industry is rethinking packaging designs.

Customer-Centric Packaging

Antony Leung, managing director at Pizza Hut in Vietnam, emphasizes that as takeout and delivery grow in popularity, packaging has to meet three key needs: convenience, quality, and a great customer experience. To address these demands, Pizza Hut Vietnam has launched an eco-friendly hexagonal pizza box.

Why hexagonal? This design fits well with Vietnam’s bike delivery culture, where keeping pizzas secure and looking appealing is crucial. The new box is sturdy and sized just right for all their pizzas, cutting out unnecessary plastic components.

Learning from Inspiration

Leung mentions that this idea was inspired by a similar design from Taiwan, implemented to reduce plastic waste. The Taiwan team worked closely with suppliers to refine the design, allowing for an efficient way to transport pizzas without compromising their quality.

The hexagonal box features ventilation holes, which help keep the crust crispy by preventing steam build-up. It’s designed to be stacked, supporting delivery efforts while being compact for ease of transport.

A Shift in Packaging Trends

Innova Market Insights reports that the use of folded boxes for baked goods jumped by 28% last year, now standing as the second-fastest growing packaging type after flat pouches. Innovations are happening across the board. For instance, Smurfit Westrock has designed a box for Papa John’s that not only holds three pizzas but doubles as a mini game, enhancing the customer’s experience even further.

Fighting Plastic Waste

Plastic still dominates the bakery packaging scene, making up 74% of materials used, followed by cartons and folded boxes. As experts like Tomi Järvenpää from Fiberdom point out, there’s increasing pressure to find alternatives to non-essential plastics without sacrificing performance or cost.

Leung echoes that sentiment, highlighting the push for solutions to reduce plastic waste in bakery packaging. Pizza Hut Vietnam is shifting from plastic lid supports to FSC-certified paperboard, cutting down on plastic while using eco-friendly inks to lessen their environmental impact.

Recent partnerships in the industry reflect this trend. Last year, Mondi introduced recyclable paper-based bread bags that offer a window for customers to see the product inside, similar to plastic options. Meanwhile, Amcor has launched packaging made from a recyclable material that could help the industry move away from non-recyclables.

Innovative Materials for Sustainability

Fiberdom is focusing on creating home-compostable trays and plates that have the durability of plastic. Järvenpää notes that their process uses only natural ingredients, achieving strength without synthetic additives.

He also points out the challenges of bioplastics. Many require industrial composting, which isn’t always available. Fiberdom’s solution is compostable in regular waste systems, making it a practical choice for consumers.

As for Pizza Hut, Leung shares their goals of securing certified materials in Asia. Their experience shows that while challenges exist, like accessing new technologies and materials, collaboration with suppliers is key to transforming the packaging landscape.

The shift towards innovative, sustainable packaging in the bakery sector shows that the industry is ready to adapt and meet modern consumer expectations.

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Pizza Hut, Jardine Restaurant Group, Fiberdom, Bakery