The Forster dairy is one of the first companies in Switzerland to use Greiner Packaging's K3 cups, which self-separate during the waste collection process. The sustainable cardboard-plastic combinations are sold under the Milbona private label in Lidl Switzerland shops.
For many years, anyone who wants to package dairy products sustainably has been focussing on Cardboard-plastic combinations. Over 40 years ago, the Swiss Greiner Packaging K3 packaging has already been produced for the first time at the Diepoldsau site. Now the latest K3 innovation is also being launched on the Swiss market: the self-separating K3 r100. The innovative packaging is used for natural yoghurts of the Milbona brand, which are produced and bottled at the Forster dairy.
The K3 r100 packaging innovation makes it possible for the first time to Separate cardboard and plastic even without human intervention. This innovation lays the foundation for future collection systems in Switzerland. Should it ever be forgotten to separate the cardboard sleeve from the cup, the two parts separate by mechanical pressure. Plastic cups and cardboard sleeves can be recognised, assigned to separate recycling streams and consequently recycled. Until this is achieved, however, both components still have to be separated manually and fed into the respective (local) disposal system. Greiner Packaging, Lidl Switzerland and the Forster dairy hope to realise a Harmonisation of the sorting flows. By switching to K3 r100, however, the partners are already ideally prepared for such a system and are taking on a pioneering role with regard to future-proof packaging design.
The companies Greiner Packaging and Molkerei Forster have been benefiting from a partnership-based cooperation for many years and have been able to develop numerous innovation steps together. In 2021, the company will be one of the first in Switzerland to switch to the Greiner Packaging layout: A recessed grip in the carton sleeve allows easy Separate from the plastic cup with just one movement. Close cooperation was then required during the development of the new K3 r100. Numerous filling tests of the packaging innovation took place at the Forster dairy.
„Without good partners like Molkerei Forster, innovations like our K3 r100 could not be realised. Before we were able to launch the cup on the market, we perfected it in numerous filling tests, including on the Forster dairy's equipment.“
Antonios Kampouris, Sales Director of Greiner Packaging Switzerland
Like Greiner Packaging, the Forster dairy and retailer Lidl Switzerland are also committed to a sustainable future. „We have set ourselves the goal of Focus on sustainability. This starts with the raw materials we use and extends through our production processes to the packaging we use for our products and beyond. With the K3 r100, we are taking another important step towards a sustainable future,“ emphasises Markus Forster, founder of Molkerei Forster.
The 500 gram tubs for natural yoghurts with 1.5 and 3.5 per cent fat content from the Milbona brand, which are sold in Lidl Switzerland shops, will be used. „We are united by a Long-standing successful partnership. We are delighted to be taking another step forward together in the packaging sector. With the introduction of the innovative yoghurt packaging, we are once again underlining our commitment to sustainability and design for recycling,“ says Andreas Zufelde, Chief Commercial Officer at Lidl Switzerland.
