Heinz has unveiled plans to create a brand new ketchup bottle made from paper, in hopes of becoming the first ever condiment brand to have completely renewable packaging.
The announcement comes as the parent company Kraft Heinz said it is exploring “the ketchup bottle of tomorrow” as it looks to the future and will be teaming up with Cambridge-based sustainable packaging company Pulpex to bring the creation to life.
Pulpex, which brands itself as “the future of sustainable packaging", uses wood pulp to create its recyclable containers. On the Pulpex’s website it says the paper-based packaging has a carbon footprint that is 90 per cent lower than glass and 30 per cent less than the commonly used PET plastic.
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Pulpex says it is currently developing paper-based packaging that can hold carbonated and hot products and has already partnered with the likes of PepsiCo and Unilever to develop prototype bottles for soft drinks and detergent, according to Birmingham Live, which if rolled out Pulpex says: “could change the face of packaging as we know it”.
Kraft Heinz Company's has said its environmental-friendly goals currently include making all packaging recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2025 and to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Kraft Heinz CEO Miguel Patricio said he hopes a paper ketchup bottle can help it get there.
The bottle would be the newest packaging option for Heinz ketchup lovers alongside the current iconic recyclable glass bottle and plastic bottle. As well as their plastic squeeze bottles made from 30 per cent recycled material and 100 per cent recyclable caps.
In a statement about the announcement, Mr Patricio added: "Packaging waste is an industry-wide challenge that we must all do our part to address. That is why we are committed to taking steps to explore sustainable packaging solutions across our brands at Kraft Heinz, offering consumers more choices.
"This new Heinz bottle is one example of how we are applying creativity and innovation to explore new ways to provide consumers with the products they know and love while also thinking sustainably."
The next step for Heinz will reportedly involve carrying out tests to assess the performance of the prototype before testing with consumers - but there’s no word just yet on when shoppers can expect to see the paper bottles on supermarket shelves.
Rashida La Lande, EVP & Global General Counsel and Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, said of the move: “We hope to bring this bottle to market and to be the first sauce brand to provide consumers this choice in their purchasing decisions, as many consumers today are looking for more sustainable packaging options. We’re eager to continue discovering more sustainable packaging for our beloved and iconic brands.”
“We believe that the scope for paper-based packaging is huge, and when global household names like HEINZ embrace this type of innovative technology, it’s good news for everyone – consumers and the planet,” added Pulpex CEO Scott Winston.
