Avantium N.V., a leader in renewable and circular polymer materials, is excited to announce a strategic collaboration with Royal Vezet, Europe’s foremost fresh food company specializing in convenience vegetables, fruits, salads, and fresh meals. This partnership aims to integrate Avantium’s PEF technology for the packaging of salad bowls, with Royal Vezet supplying these PEF-based trays to Albert Heijn, the largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands.
Avantium’s polyethylene furanoate (PEF) represents a 100% plant-based, fully recyclable polymer, delivering a sustainable and circular packaging solution for Royal Vezet’s salad bowls. Avantium is on track to inaugurate the world’s first commercial plant in Delfzijl, focusing on producing 5 kilotons of FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid), the essential component of PEF. Scheduled for commercial production in 2025, this initiative will subsequently scale the production of PEF to facilities capable of 100 kilotons and beyond, fostering extensive production through technology licensing.
Operating at an impressive capacity of 6 million consumer units per week, Royal Vezet embodies innovation, strong regional connections, and an unwavering commitment to sustainability and quality. Anouk Wissink, CEO of Royal Vezet, articulates, “Partnering with Avantium aligns with our mission to make tasty and healthy food available for everybody, while minimizing our environmental footprint. We are eager to demonstrate the potential of PEF-based packaging and its benefits for our products and Albert Heijn’s customers.”
In a phased rollout, Albert Heijn will initiate its introduction of the first PEF-based salad bowl trays, with plans for further expansion into other packaging segments. Marit van Egmond, CEO of Albert Heijn, states, “We are proud to introduce PEF-based salad bowl trays, furthering our commitment to sustainability. This initiative follows our successful collaboration with Refresco and Avantium on PEF-based bottles for fruit juices. By expanding our use of PEF, we continue to lead the way in offering eco-friendly packaging solutions to our customers.”
“We are pleased to partner with Royal Vezet and Albert Heijn on this innovative project. This collaboration is evidence of the strength of strategic partnerships in promoting sustainable innovation. By combining Avantium’s PEF with Royal Vezet’s dedication to fresh, high-quality products and Albert Heijn’s extensive market reach, we are committed to making a significant impact on the food and drink packaging industry. Together, we can accelerate the transition to more sustainable packaging solutions, fostering healthy products in eco-friendly packaging that benefit both consumers and the environment,” remarks Tom van Aken, CEO of Avantium.
