Leading Australian brand MasterFoods™ has today announced a major step forward in its sustainability journey with a trial of new paper-based packaging for their MasterFoods Squeeze-On Tomato Sauce packs, which can be recycled via traditional curbside recycling.
The MasterFoods Recyclable Squeeze-On Tomato Sauce packs are made in Mars Food & Nutrition’s manufacturing site in Wyong on the Central Coast. The new paper-based packs contain 58% less plastic than the original MasterFoods™ Squeeze-On packs, further contributing to Mars Australia’s aim of creating a circular economy and working towards Australia’s National Packaging Targets.
This innovation is the result of five years of research and development trials with $3 million invested in the project so far – a significant undertaking to ensure that the new paper-based packs are as easy to use as the much-loved original. MasterFoods’™ priority was to ensure that Tomato Sauce lovers should still be able to hold a pie in one hand, and their sauce in the other. To use, simply find the icon ‘this side up’ on the pack, pull the ends towards you, fold and squeeze.
After use, consumers can now put the empty paper-based pack in a recycling bin instead of general waste. The new MasterFoods™ paper-based packs make it easy-squeezy for consumers to recycle, without compromising on the taste of Australia’s favorite tomato sauce.
General Manager of Mars Food & Nutrition Australia, Bill Heague, says, “The trial of paper-based MasterFoods Recyclable Squeeze-On Tomato Sauce packs marks another important milestone in Mars’ sustainability journey, and demonstrates the role the food industry can play in working towards a circular economy. Currently, over 240 million of our MasterFoods Squeeze-On packs are used each year – that’s nine packs for every Australian. We know that as we work towards more sustainable packaging, it’s important that we understand how it performs in market – with consumers, customers and through the packaging value chain. This trial will allow us to better understand how this new paper-recyclable squeeze-on performs so we can take these learnings forwards. If we transition our full portfolio to this new format over time, Mars Australia would be set to eliminate around 190 tonnes of plastic from our value chain a year.”
The trial has been designed in partnership with APCO – the Australian Packaging Covenant Organization – and will allow MasterFoods™ to collect important data on the performance of the new pack, including how to best educate consumers to recycle the product after use.
Chris Foley, CEO of APCO said MasterFoods™ Recyclable Squeeze-On Tomato Sauce packs are a prime example of innovation within the food industry to meet packaging targets. “I commend Mars for collaborating with APCO throughout the development process, taking a thoughtful and iterative approach to trial and refine the new packaging format. By focusing on real-world testing, this trial will help ensure the packaging can be effectively recycled post-consumer use. We look forward to seeing the results and continuing to support their efforts in achieving the best environmental outcomes for their packaging.”
The innovative packaging, which is a first in the Australian market, has been designed and produced in partnership with leading global packaging company Easysnap Technology, an Italian packaging company specializing in recyclable one-handed packaging technology and part of Gualapack, a leading global flexible packaging company.
Andrea Taglini, CEO of Easysnap Technology S.r.L says, “This partnership with MasterFoods is a really exciting moment for Easysnap Technology. In order to create a truly circular economy, we need packaging producers, brand owners, customers and the waste industry to work together. Our paper-based technology has been designed to ensure that there is a more sustainable option for consumers and we are delighted that we get to introduce this to Australians for the first time.”
MasterFoods™ will launch a trial of its innovative paper-based squeeze-on packs in November 2024, and the packs should be available through to April 2025. The trial will take place across a variety of locations, including sporting stadiums, petrol stations, mining sites, and pie shops. More than a million units of this new paper-based packaging will be evaluated by consumers during this trial.
This is another significant step forward in Mars Australia’s sustainability journey, following the launch of paper-based wrappers for its Australian-made chocolate bars in 2023 and the recent announcement that 200g and 500g single variety packs of SCHMACKOS™ STRAPZ™ and STIX™ now feature packaging made from 60% recycled plastic through a mass balance approach.