DS Smith, leading international fibre-based packaging solutions company, and organic eggs producer, Niels & Grete, are collaborating to remove plastic from their traditional packaging. Together the two companies have innovated an alternative sustainable packaging solution for keeping delicate eggs safe during storage and transit.
Previously, Niels & Grete packed their consignments of thirty organic eggs in two moulded pulp-trays with a large label, and the eggs were held secure with plastic wrapping that was fixed with a heating technique. The solution is to place the eggs into one existing moulded pulp tray that can then be slotted into a corrugated cardboard pack. The design team at DS Smith created holes in the bottom of the pack, alongside perforations in the top to support a range of variations in the size of the eggs.
The new packing and packaging process is intended to reduce the volume of materials used and to make the packing process faster and more efficient, using 100% recyclable corrugated cardboard materials. In addition, the DS Smith packs provide extra stacking stability, and the eggs can also be packed and locked into the tray both below and on top, within the perforated areas.
Niels Riis, CEO, Niels & Grete comments:
“We are delighted with this sustainable packaging solution. We are committed to providing our customers with a natural and fresh product and these sustainable trays can be packed in a clever and compact way while protecting our eggs during transit. The trays also make our product look fantastic as we can print our design and logo directly on to the cardboard. The sustainable and recyclable materials are in keeping with our brand ethos and we have received extremely positive feedback from our customers who are finding the trays easier to open and store.”
Adele Cunningham Mikkelsen, Account Manager, DS Smith:
“We wanted to replace the original plastic trays and instead introduce a corrugated cardboard and fully fibre-based packaging solution for Niels & Grete. Our design was intended to make the packing process faster and more efficient, and using our unique Circular Design Metrics tool, we wanted to reduce the materials used in the overall packaging solution. We are thrilled for the opportunity to collaborate with Niels & Grete on this innovation.”
The DS Smith design team apply their bespoke industry-first and unique Circular Design Metrics (CDM) tools to measure and quantify the sustainability performance of each of their packaging solutions across eight key indicators. These include carbon footprint, reuse, supply chain optimisation, recyclability, material utilisation, and recycled content. The tools are intended to help brands and retailers compare sustainable design solutions, reduce waste and pollution, and keep materials in use for longer.
In addition, through its purpose of Redefining Packaging for a Changing World and its companywide Now & Next sustainability strategy, DS Smith is committed to leading a transition to the circular economy, delivering innovative sustainable packaging solutions for its customers and society at large, and to helping customers worldwide reach their sustainability and circular economy objectives.