UPM Specialty Papers and Fazer have collaboratively developed a new type of packaging for Fazer’s Oat Rice Pies, enhancing sustainability in food and drink packaging. The innovative paper solution, recognized in multiple competitions, replaces traditional plastic laminated packaging while maintaining the integrity of the rice pies inside.
The newly awarded packaging is now available in Finnish supermarkets, aligning with Fazer’s Sustainable Packaging Vision and UPM’s Biofore strategy. Through a two-year development process, the packaging ensures recyclability without compromising food safety or quality.
Fazer’s Director of Packaging Development, Piia Soininen-Tengvall, emphasizes the collaborative effort involved in achieving responsible packaging goals. The partnership between Fazer and UPM Specialty Papers combined food production expertise with speciality paper development, resulting in a packaging solution that protects and preserves the quality of Oat Rice Pies while reducing fossil-based materials.
Traditionally, plastic has been utilized for heat-sealed packaging, providing protective properties for food. However, the newly developed packaging paper by UPM integrates barrier and heat seal properties without the need for plastic lamination, enhancing recyclability within existing fibre recycling infrastructures.
Susanna Hyrkäs, Senior Manager, Sustainability at UPM Specialty Papers, highlights the recyclability of the UPM Confidio™ barrier paper used in the Oat Rice Pies packaging. With a recycling reject rate of only about 1 percent, the paper is highly recyclable compared to plastic-coated alternatives.
