Walki Lid helps Arla go greener with aluminum-free lids
With the demand for sustainable solutions increasing, Walki said dairy companies are looking to find alternatives to lids traditionally made of aluminum.
The company said many customers, including Arla, want the entire package to be recyclable, not just the cup. Walki Lid matches the ability of aluminum lids on heat resistance, is a material that works with existing packaging processes, meets food safety standards and can be printed on.
Walki Lid, Walki’s paper-based material for single-cup lids, is being used in Finland for Arla’s 175g Arla Luonto+ yogurts, and in Sweden for cottage cheese and crème fraiche as well. The entire packaging can be recycled by pulping or burned for energy production.
Kati Janhunen, brand & category manager at Arla, said the aim is to make Arla Luonto+ the healthiest, tastiest and most socially responsible yogurt brand in Finland.
“We’re a very consumer-oriented company and we listen to consumers extremely carefully. The consumers that choose Arla Luonto+ deem sustainability very important.”
Janhunen said Arla is always looking for ways to create sustainable consumer choices through continuous R&D with sustainability at its core.
“As the packaging industry is constantly evolving, it’s our responsibility to offer consumers the best possible solution,” Janhunen said.
Sustainability
The lids are manufactured by Pyroll, a paper, converting and packaging company from Finland, using material provided by Walki. Sales director Marko Manu said the lid has an excellent aroma, water vapour and gas barrier, is easy to peel yet still durable to avoid tearing, and also fully recyclable.
Manu said, “There are plenty of technicalities that need to be taken into account both on our end as well as our customer’s, without forgetting the fact that the most important job for the packaging is to protect the product inside it and ensure a certain shelf life.
“It’s a common challenge for us packaging manufacturers and our customers to come up with new and innovative solutions to boost the presence of recyclable alternatives and find ways to make them both economical and technically efficient.”
When it comes to carbon footprint, Walki Lid beats aluminum, according to flexible packaging business Line manager Heikki Lumme, making the product suitable for companies committed to reducing their emissions throughout the supply chain.
