Borealis has announced that it has joined forces with ice cream company Froneri (Finland) and packaging specialist PACCOR (Germany) to support the transformation of the popular ice cream brand Aino to a sustainable offering. As a result of this partnership, the new Aino packaging tubs and lids are moulded in Bornewables polypropylene (PP) from Borealis, with renewable feedstock certified by mass balance accounting under the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification Plus (ISCC PLUS) scheme.

 

The collaboration between Borealis, Froneri and PACCOR is a key example of implementing innovative responsible packaging applications to accelerate the transition of the plastics industry towards a more sustainable and circular economy. It also connects with Borealis’ Consumer Products vision of ‘Making everyday life easier’, and aligns with the company’s EverMinds activities and initiatives for industrial partnership with committed players across the entire value chain.

 

“Implemented within just 12 months from concept to market, the new Aino ice cream packaging is an excellent example for what can be achieved by collaboration to transform the plastics industry on its road to carbon neutrality,” says Peter Voortmans, Global Commercial Director Consumer Products at Borealis. “We are very proud about our contribution to the success of this joint project, which has once again confirmed the perfect fit of our Bornewables polymers in high-quality and high-performance packaging solutions.”

 

The feedstock for the Bornewables PP from Borealis is derived from second-generation bio-mass, waste and residue streams that are not competing with the human food chain. The renewable content is accredited by mass balance according to ISCC PLUS, which facilitates its traceability from the material production through to the final application.

 

In addition, brand owners can document the certified renewable content with a representative label or moulded-in information on the packaging, thus helping consumers make a more responsible choice in their purchase. Froneri has been the first ice cream company to receive the respectable ISCC PLUS certification in this highly sensitive packaging market segment and is planning to extend the use of the Bornewables polymers to further brands across Europe.

 

Aino ice cream has always been associated with the quality, reliability and environmental sensitivity of products made in Finland, where living in harmony with nature is firmly rooted in people’s DNA. The synergy of these values has been a strong inspiration driving the renewable based packaging.

 

“Sustainability is very important to us, with the core of it embedded in our local factory and production,” adds Charlotta Lindberg, Senior Brand Manager at Froneri. “At our ice cream factory in Turenki, we make continuous improvements and take practical actions both small and big to become more sustainable, for example by switching to renewable energy such as wind-based electricity, biogas and carbon-neutral heating. Furthermore, wherever possible, our packaging is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, and the cocoa used in our products is Rainforest Alliance certified. To mention a few things we are doing around sustainability.”

 

The new Aino ice cream packaging tubs and lids are injection moulded from Bornewables PP by PACCOR in an integrated process with in-mould labelling decoration, which also makes this innovative monomaterial packaging 100% recyclable. Moreover, the renewable material is used as a highly efficient drop-in solution without any further modifications required to the partners’ manufacturing and packaging lines. At the same time, it helps them reduce their carbon footprint.

 

“By using renewable raw material, we have been able to substantially reduce our CO₂ emissions without changing the manufacturing process, which is a significant accomplishment and another important step being taken to reduce oil dependence within our group,” explains Andrzej Olszewski, Plant Manager at PACCOR Bydgoszcz. “In addition, compliance with the ISCC PLUS standard ensures complete transparency in production, maintaining high quality standards for our ice cream packaging products.”

 

For end users, the Bornewables material meets all functional requirements to enable durable and protective food-contact packaging fit for freezing, while addressing increased consumer demands to minimise the climate impact and fossil depletion potential of packaging products.