BillerudKorsnäs to Cut Food Waste, Joins SAVE FOOD

BillerudKorsnäs, Sweden, has joined SAVE FOOD, a UN supported global initiative on food loss and waste. With "smarter packaging solutions," BillerudKorsnäs notes that it contributes to a significant reduction in waste.

 

"A key component of BillerudKorsnäs’ development work on smarter packaging solutions involves a focus on improved food transport. Consequently, it is a natural step for us to be part of SAVE FOOD," said Henrik Essén, SVP, communication and sustainability.

 

Save Food – a UN supported global initiative on food loss and waste – was launched in 2011 and aims to reduce the amount of food lost or thrown away. An estimated 1.3 billion metric tons of food is wasted each year, corresponding to 3.3 metric giga-tons of carbon dioxide emissions. This can be compared with emissions from all road traffic in the U.S. in 2010, which amounted to 1.5 metric giga-tons.

 

"Fruit and vegetables account for the greatest losses in the food industry, not only in absolute figures when it comes to the number of tons destroyed but also with respect to the costs incurred for waste and from an environmental perspective. The carbon footprint from organic products that are transported long distances but never consumed is very large,, said Lars Broström, commercial director at Paccess, a subsidiary of BillerudKorsnäs. About a quarter of this waste is attributable, unfortunately, to inadequate packaging.

"One problem is that few players in the supply chain look at the overall picture when it comes to transporting food and instead focus only on their own area of the supply chain. Companies often use cheap packaging solutions that are only able to withstand the transport distance for which they are responsible," Broström added.

 

With strong, primary-fiber based packaging material and high-performance solutions, BillerudKorsnäs is able to contribute to less waste. For example, the company has developed the SoliQ™ corrugated box to withstand difficult conditions associated with intercontinental transport of grapes and citrus fruits from South Africa to Europe. SoliQ offers clear advantages throughout the value chain – from packaging manufacturers and growers all the way to the consumer.

 

With SoliQ™, packaging-related waste has decreased radically. This has resulted in significant cost savings and less manual handling in the supply chain as well as strengthening the supplier’s brand, particularly among importers. "In addition to durability, it is important to consider temperature and moisture when developing packaging solutions, since high temperatures and condensation are common causes of fruit and vegetable spoilage during transport." Broström said.

 

Paccess is part of the BillerudKorsnäs Group with headquarters in Portland, Ore., and regional offices throughout Europe and Asia. Paccess develops and delivers global packaging solutions that increase the quality of brands and lower the cost of supply chains.