Amcor, a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions, is proud to collaborate with Riverside Natural Foods, a leading certified organic snack producer, to launch MadeGood Trail Mix bars in AmFiber™ paper-based packaging. The exclusive launch during Earth Month is a category-first solution that delivers curbside recyclability in the paper stream without compromise on package performance.
The new recyclable wrapper uses Amcor’s AmFiber™, a paper-based laminate made with FSC®-certified (C206475) fiber. Compared to traditional bar wrap, the package reduces the amount of virgin plastic by 77% and has been certified by Western Michigan University to meet repulpability standards necessary for the recycling process.
The R&D experts at Amcor worked closely with Riverside Natural Foods to ensure the new package met the needs of both the brand and the consumer. This collaboration resulted in a package with no compromise on run speeds or graphic quality.
To further ensure consumer needs were met, Riverside Natural Foods and Amcor partnered on an independent home usage study that allowed consumers to use the product as they normally would throughout the week and evaluate the package performance. The study found that after interacting with the paper wrapper, 79% of the consumers agreed the package was ‘somewhat better’ or ‘much better’ than the usual granola bar wrapper. Additionally, 79% of consumers agreed they would choose this product over another brand that doesn’t have recyclable packaging.
“The partnership of Amcor and Riverside Natural Foods pairs two industry leaders in sustainability to deliver an innovative package that is How2Recycle® certified and easy for consumers to recycle anywhere,” says Desmond VanHouten, director of marketing at Amcor Flexibles North America.
“At Riverside Natural Foods, we are continuously letting our curiosity guide us and ask ourselves – how can we take the next best step forward toward a more sustainable future? For us, this was innovating a category-first paper package for our consumers to enjoy while minimizing the impact on the planet. We are so proud to achieve this with our partners at Amcor,” says Salma Fotovat, co-founder and sourcing, procurement, and impact director at Riverside Natural Foods.