Metsä Board’s takeaway packaging achieves success in a Finnish innovation competition
April 11, 2019
The Helsinki Wholesale Market area launched, in October 2018, an
innovation competition aimed at finding new ideas and solutions for the development
of services and versatile entrepreneurship. From around 60 entries submitted,
the best seven were chosen for a pilot phase. Metsä Board is delighted to
announce that one of the selected entries is for its recyclable packaging
concept targeted at restaurant takeaway services.
The Metsä Board’s project involves the whole packaging value chain, and these
needs formed the basis for the packaging development. In addition, a consumer
study was carried out at the beginning of the pilot stage. “The current
takeaway packages used by restaurants either have functional challenges or
consumers regard them as non-ecological. We also got feedback that current
packaging does not fulfil the criteria of premium packaging,” says Leena
Yliniemi, Technical Marketing Director from Metsä Board.
The piloted packaging concept is manufactured from Metsä Board’s paperboard
which is suitable for direct food contact and is recyclable. Furthermore, the
packaging can be easily personalised to the restaurant. The packages are
designed and manufactured by a Finnish company, Cadpack Oy. Package Testing
& Research Oy is responsible for coordinating the pilot as well as for the
consumer study. The pilot project will continue until the end of May 2019.
The innovation competition, funded by the City of Helsinki and Business
Finland, was organised to find new technological and other innovative solutions
specifically for food and food production, and also packaging, circular economy
and clean technologies. The competition jury consisted of members representing
the City of Helsinki, the University of Helsinki and the business sector.