- Smurfit Westrock has created recyclable and moisture-proof packaging for seafood, collaborating with Keltic Seafare to replace expanded polystyrene (EPS).
- This innovative packaging features dual inner boxes, gel packs, and a moisture-resistant coating to ensure temperature regulation and protection during transportation.
- The new design is in line with Keltic Seafare’s sustainability objectives, promoting environmentally friendly disposal methods.
Smurfit Westrock has successfully developed a moisture-resistant and recyclable solution for Keltic Seafare, aiding the Scottish seafood enterprise in moving away from EPS.
Crafted by Smurfit Westrock Tannochside, located near Glasgow, UK, this solution is claimed to be entirely recyclable and designed to safeguard Keltic Seafare’s live shellfish and scallops throughout transportation.
The outer packaging boasts a moisture-resistant coating that deflects seawater and manages wet handling, ensuring both the boxes and their printed branding remain intact during shipping from Dingwall to London.
Internally, the corrugated insulation and strategically placed gel packs help maintain optimal temperatures necessary for live langoustines, lobsters, and scallops.
“Collaborating with Smurfit Westrock Tannochside met all our criteria for Keltic Seafare,” asserts Robert MacKinnon, procurement manager at the company. “The team engineered seafood packaging that strikingly balanced our need for environmentally friendly options while also enhancing speed, assembly, branding, and customer satisfaction.”
Aishling Bradford, business development manager at Smurfit Westrock Tannochside, remarks: “The seafood packaging solution designed for Keltic Seafare demonstrates that moisture protection and temperature management can coexist without sacrificing brand identity, efficiency, or sustainability.”
“This project presented its challenges, as Keltic Seafare had numerous specifications that needed addressing, but it allowed us to test our design capabilities without compromising essential features.”
Inner box system
Smurfit Westrock emphasizes that the packaging solution includes a dual inner box system with compartments designed to keep shellfish secure and distinct. These inner boxes are lined with T-piece inserts and gel packs, creating an “entirely insulated” environment within the outer case.
The scallops are encapsulated in the moisture-resistant, insulated outer container along with gel packs.
“By incorporating insulation into a recyclable and moisture-resistant design, Keltic Seafare benefitted from enhanced protection and packaging that aligns with their sustainable mission,” the packaging provider noted.
Prior to engaging Smurfit Westrock, Keltic Seafare had transitioned from EPS to solid board packaging with an insulated foam inner layer.
Although this change reduced plastic dependency, those boxes reportedly fell short in branding visibility and were not optimized for eco-friendly disposal by their prestigious restaurant clientele.
“Given that many of their Michelin-starred clients are situated in Central London, the ability to easily separate and dispose of packaging in standard municipal recycling bins was a crucial criterion,” the companies stated.
Recently, Smurfit Westrock also introduced a paper-based bubble wrap substitute for electrical connectors and recyclable packaging solutions for Dermalux medical devices. Last month, the company expanded by acquiring a corrugated packaging manufacturer in Ecuador.