The French dairy co-operative Laîta has developed recyclable secondary packaging made of paper together with the Walki Group. The packaging for the Paysan Breton pancakes fulfils both functional and ecological requirements.
The dairy co-operative Laîta, known for its Paysan Breton brand, has worked with Walki has developed a paper-based secondary packaging for its pancakes. This packaging is fully recyclable and meets the increasing requirements to sustainable packaging solutions. Regulations such as the French AGEC and the EU Packaging Regulation are putting companies under increasing pressure to switch to monomaterials. At the same time, according to Laîta, market studies show that consumers are also placing more value on environmentally friendly packaging.
The new packaging replaces the previous paper-plastic solution with a mono-material made of paper. According to Mathieu Boulc'h, Packaging Development & Procurement Manager at Laîta, it was crucial to improve recyclability without compromising technical properties such as stability and sealability.
The secondary packaging, which is used for the six-packs of individually wrapped pancakes, places less stringent requirements on the barrier properties, as product protection is already guaranteed by the individual packaging. This made it possible to select a material that Completely recycled in the paper stream can be realised.
„You have to find the right balance between paper quality, which offers an excellent print finish, and the right packaging performance, but not be too thick, which could affect runnability. Switching from a paper/plastic complex to paper should not affect productivity per minute, as production efficiency is of course crucial.“
Marie Barge, Business Development Manager at Walki
The collaboration between Walki and Laîta lasted two years. According to Boulc'h, the project was successful and all technical and logistical requirements were met. The open communication between the two partners contributed significantly to the success of the project.
Source: Walki
