The iconic Heinz ‘Snap Pot’ – manufactured by Berry Global – has earned another accolade at the Environmental Packaging Awards, this time taking home the coveted Gold award in the Ambient Food category. The award-winning concept impressed the judges with its switch to a version made with 39% recycled plastic, aligning with the growing demand for sustainable packaging.
Originally introduced in 2008, the Snap Pot has undergone a redesign to incorporate advancements in post-consumer recycled content for food packaging. This remarkable achievement was made possible through the collaboration between Heinz, Tesco, Berry Global, and recycling technology experts Plastic Energy and Sabic.
“This latest award – following previous recognitions such as the UK Packaging Award and a Silver Award at the global Packaging Innovation Awards – acknowledges the efforts of the companies involved in enhancing sustainability for Heinz Snap Pots while maintaining their convenient snappable format, microwave-ready feature, and freshness retention,” stated Héloïse Carlier, International R&D Packaging Technology Expert at The Kraft Heinz Company.
The judges were particularly impressed by the project’s contribution to the shift towards a circular economy by diverting, recovering, and upcycling plastics that would have otherwise ended up in landfills or incineration.
The Heinz Snap Pots, produced by Berry Global, utilize 39% ISCC PLUS-certified (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) recycled plastic on a mass balance basis. Consumers return the soft plastic to Tesco stores, which is then collected and converted by Plastic Energy into an optimal oil feedstock. Sabic combines this feedstock with virgin material to create an alternative feedstock for the production of recycled, food-contact approved plastic pellets.
The Berry Global site in Bremervörde, Germany, which is ISCC-certified, takes in these pellets for manufacturing into new Heinz Beanz Snap Pots. Extensive trials conducted by Sabic, Berry Global, and KraftHeinz were carried out to identify the appropriate polymer compositions that meet the technical requirements. After use, the Heinz Snap Pots can be easily recycled through kerbside collection.
“We are thrilled to see that Heinz Snap Pots are continuing to inspire others in the packaging industry, just as they have captured the imagination of millions of consumers,” expressed Matthias Michaelis, Key Account Director of Berry Global. “This latest award reaffirms the importance of collaboration across the supply chain in our efforts to enhance sustainability while preserving the excellent properties of the original packaging concept.”
