German snack manufacturer Wildcorn has introduced a fully recyclable bag for its Wildcorn organic popcorn range. Founded 2016 in Berlin, Wildcorn produces a range of 100% organic, healthy, and flavorful snacks, including dry roasted popcorn, as a healthy alternative to chips. In 2017, the company launched its first sustainability program in partnership with Mellifera (the German head organization for bee protection) to offset its use of agricultural resources by planting flower strips to rebuild/maintain ecosystems.
For its new packaging, Wildcorn began working with Innovia Films soon after the supplier’s launch of Propafilm™ Strata high-barrier film, which soon after achieved the Made for Recycling logo from Interseroh, an Independent German recycling and consulting company.
Says Alasdair McEwen, Global Product Manager Packaging, Innovia Films, “This certification proves the recyclability of our new Strata BOPP [biaxially oriented polypropylene] film. It has been designed to be a standalone mono filmic solution or to be used in laminate constructions to be ‘recycle ready,’ or recyclable in countries which have the infrastructure to recycle polypropylene.”
To make the Wildcorn pack, a lamination of Propafilm Strata and a white cavitated oriented polypropylene was used. This construction was also tested by Interseroh, and they confirmed that it was fully recyclable, awarding the pack the Made for Recycling certification.
According to Innovia, Propafilm Strata provides an effective barrier to aroma, mineral oils, and oxygen even at high relative humidity levels, ensuring increased shelf life and reduced food waste. It is glossy, is food contact-compliant, and is chlorine free. Suitable for use in a range of markets, the film is also printable and offers a wide seal and hot-tack range.
Says Wildcorn Founder Tobias Enge, “Our products are wholesome natural organic snacks, providing a heathier alternative to consumers. But as a consumer goods company, we are responsible to look at the complete ecological impact of our product, and packaging waste is one of the key challenges of our generation. Today’s emphasis on a ‘circular economy’ is very prominent, so we decided to find a structure for our packaging that is fully recyclable while providing premium product protection, ensuring that our consumers still experience the same high quality and taste they have come to expect.
“Moving forwards, we plan to move all our products to the new sustainable format and continue the development of sustainable packaging.”
