Sabic, Napco and Fonte have launched the first bread packaging made from recycled post-consumer recyclate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The packaging utilises the mass-balanced circular polyethylene from Sabic's Trucircle portfolio.
Sabic has successfully launched the first circular packaging project in Saudi Arabia as part of its Trucircle programme to accelerate the implementation of a circular economy for plastics. Fonte, a major player in the bakery industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), has introduced Sabics certified circular polyethylene (PE) bread bags for its Arabic oat bread. The bags are produced by Napco National, a vertically integrated Saudi manufacturer of flexible films and packaging products, using two food contact certified circular polyethylene resin grades (LLDPE) from the Trucircle portfolio of Sabic produced. Following the launch of the joint project in March 2023 and the Successful completion of the test phase at Napco, Fonte has started to roll out the flexible pouches in shops across Saudi Arabia.
The new Fonte bread bags are made from 100 per cent made from mass-balanced, certified recycled material from mixed used plastics, which is converted into pyrolysis oil in an advanced recycling process. Sabic then uses the oil to produce new polymers with the same purity and quality as conventional virgin plastics at the company's plant in Jubail, KSA.
„With our Trucircle programme, we are pushing for innovative business models to transform our industry from a linear to a circular one and prevent the valuable material from end-of-life plastic applications from going to waste. This remarkable collaborative project has demonstrated in a relatively short space of time what can be achieved to make this vision a reality when all stakeholders work together to maximise post-consumer plastic recycling and sustainability. In addition, the project addresses an important trend towards more sustainable food packaging in Saudi Arabia and is the first circular packaging application of its kind in the country.“
Sanjay Mishra, Head of the ETP and Performance Polymers division at Sabic
Sabic's circular materials are produced using mass balancing in accordance with the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS programme, which follows a set of predefined and transparent rules to track the flow of materials through complex supply chains from source material to end use.
„At Masdar, our strategic focus spans the entire spectrum of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). Our goal of integrating quality and sustainability into every aspect of our operations fits seamlessly into Vision 2030. As Masdar's leading brand, Fonte is fully committed to tackling the plastic issue facing all food manufacturers. While this new bread bag is just one of our products, it demonstrates how key players in the value chain can work together to bring about much-needed change. As the availability of high quality recycled plastics increases in KSA, we look forward to using the success of this partnership project with Sabic and Napco as a model for further packaging applications in our ‚Saudi Made‘ food offering.“
Mohammed Binmahfoodh, CEO of Masdar Alhayat for Food Industries (Fonte)
Sabic's certified circular polymers are part of the company's Trucircle portfolio and services. In addition to certified circular polymers, this also includes Recycling-friendly design, mechanically recycled products, certified renewable polymers made from bio-based raw materials and closed-loop initiatives to recycle plastics for high-value applications and prevent valuable used plastics from becoming waste.
„Napco is committed to promoting sustainable packaging in various sectors of the plastics industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and across the Gulf region. We recognise the urgent need to address environmental challenges and are committed to helping our customers achieve their sustainability goals. Through our innovative approach, we strive to develop packaging solutions that minimise environmental impact, promote the circular economy and maximise the life cycle value of plastics. At Napco National, we welcome the advanced recycling route offered by Sabic as a way to contribute to the circularity of plastics in flexible packaging films. This collaboration has led to a successful implementation of circular plastic films in the food sector.“
Chadi Radi, Senior Director at Napco National
Source: Sabic
