Packaging manufacturer Coveris has teamed up with the innovative Metis® plums brand for the launch of a new range of packaging. Produced by European fruit leaders Royal (Spain), Blue Whale (France) and Granfrutta Zani (Italy), connected by variety manager Star Fruits and Rusticas Del Gualdalquivir, Metis® plums have debuted new bright, engaging and colourful LinerlessLid and punnet packaging in Tesco aligning quality, environmental responsibility and consumer appeal.
Metis® plums are naturally bred from a cross-pollination between selected apricot pollen and plum blooms. The varieties are expertly crossed with plum trees to produce the distinctively vibrant and flavourful fruits in the Metis® range. With a commitment to biodiversity and respect to nature, the growers’ sustainability values extend from orchard to shelf with its use of LinerlessLid and punnet packaging, launching in July 2025.
Coveris’ paper-based LinerlessLid and punnet solution achieves environmental, operational and presentation benefits. The innovation combines certified sustainably sourced cartonboard punnets with paper LinerlessLid labels. With increasing paperisation of packaging in the produce sector, Coveris’ LinerlessLid and punnet packaging provides an alternative to plastic, whilst achieving efficient packing speeds using automated Ravenwood machinery.
The LinerlessLid label serves as a closure to secure the fruit contents and provides extensive space for impactful branding and clear product communication. The inclusion of apertures enables visibility of the fruit, enhancing consumer confidence. Offering a point of difference in a competitive produce category, the printed design developed for Metis® plums is vibrant and eye-catching delivering strong shelf appeal and reinforcing the fruit’s premium positioning.
The collaborative launch of the new Metis® plums packaging for its Tesco listing highlights a shared ambition to deliver sustainable innovation across the food value chain. It also reflects a growing trend within the fresh produce sector with the emergence of more own-brand offerings.
Nigel Hewitt, Coveris’ Paper Business Unit Sales Director, commented: “The move towards paper-based formats is one of the key drivers in fresh produce packaging, and our LinerlessLid and punnet solution exemplifies how innovation can deliver both sustainability and standout shelf appeal. For stone fruit like plums, it offers sustainable sourcing, robust product protection and packing efficiency, minimising environmental impact while maximising value from grower to consumer, fully aligned with our No Waste strategy. This is a great example of how packaging can elevate premium ranges and support the environmental goals of producers and retailers alike. We’re proud to support the Metis® brand with this exciting launch.”
Coveris’ leadership and commitment to sustainability was recognised with the highest accolade at last month’s Environmental Packaging Awards in London. Reserved for exceptional submissions that set a new industry benchmark, Coveris was the winner of the Gold Award for Sustainable Packaging Business of the Year.
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