Why isn't pasta simply packaged in bags made from FSC-certified paper? The „pasta manufacturer“ Landhaus Teigwaren Müller has found that retail customers do not accept these sustainable, plastic-free packaging solutions. Large paper packs, on the other hand, are well received by unpackaged shops and catering businesses.
In Germany alone, there are said to be more than 100 types of pasta, and over 600 worldwide, according to Rewe. According to the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, one in six Germans Pasta as his favourite dish. According to statista.de, the German food industry earns more than one billion euros a year from tagliatelle, tortellini and the like. This means that each and every German eats 6.6 kilograms of pasta per year and spends 12.54 euros on it.
So what else is new about pasta? Since 2014, the Wegberg-based company has been Landhaus Pasta Müller GmbH & Co. KG says it is on a mission to „provide people with truly valuable food“. The company founded by Reinhold and Domenica Müller The company, which was founded in the year under review, is breaking new ground in pasta production and sales.
Regionality is a top priority
Attention is paid to regional raw products directly from the neighbourhood. The grain is grown on our own fields or by contract farmers according to organic criteria. All eggs come from organic free-range hens. Many of the noodles under the brand name „Müller's Landnudeln - echt lecker“ are available in Organic quality. Everything is processed transparently in the truest sense of the word in the „transparent production“.
Above all, however, the family business wants to operate responsibly for people and the environment. „We have to work more sustainably,“ Reinhold Müller is convinced. Of course, this also applies to the Pasta packaging. Just recently the Pasta manufactory, that they are the first manufacturer to supply bulk buyers with pasta in FSC-certified Paper bags supplied. Unpackaged shops and the catering trade in particular „are very grateful that this is now available“, reports Reinhold Müller. Although the production of the paper containers is somewhat more expensive, at the same time some savings are made in terms of licensing fees under the Packaging Act.
Consumers do not accept paper packaging
With the Retail packaging - After all, Müller noodles are available in around 1,000 large shops. Supermarket chains - However, plastic packaging with Recyclate content „Consumers want to see the pasta in the packaging,“ explains the Austrian pasta entrepreneur. They had already experimented with paper packaging, but realised: „Consumers don't accept it that way.“
Nevertheless, Reinhold Müller emphasises: „We definitely want to get away from plastic in retail!“ In the background, he and his team are constantly experimenting with better ones, plastic-free packaging. He sees an alternative in semi-transparent packaging made from starch materials. For the time being, however, they are not durable enough and show the first signs of disintegration after around six months. In addition, the material is not yet certified for contact with food. He is therefore continuing to seek dialogue with specialist companies. However, the supply is limited: „You have to give a lot of input,“ Müller has learnt from his discussions with packaging manufacturers.
Until the big sustainable Packaging solutions Landhaus Teigwaren Müller is launching retail packaging made of paper, which is even printed with environmentally friendly water-based inks, in October after all. This appeals to a special, health-conscious and environmentally aware target group. The Bionoodles from emmer and einkorn grains are supplied to organic food shops.
Crowdfunding for sustainable growth
Reinhold and Domenica Müller have also broken new ground when it comes to financing their innovative company. They launched a financing round on the Crowdfunding platform for green projects „Econeers“. Up to 500,000 euros are to be made available to sustainability-conscious Investors for six years and with an annual interest rate of six per cent.
„We are happy today that we have done this,“ says Reinhold Müller happily. One month before the end of the term, more than half of the target sum had already been reached. The funds are to be used Investor funds for the development of an online shop, the expansion of the sales structure and, last but not least, for new Packaging concepts.
But donors and customers can also expect completely new products from Landhaus Teigwaren Müller: at the beginning of next year, the company will be offering Straws made from pasta dough Müller announces that he will be presenting them in the future. Unlike many other alternative drinking straws, the pasta tubes are even available in almost any colour.
[infotext icon]You can find more information about the company and the Landhaus Teigwaren Müller portfolio on the Company homepage.
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