Fiber Lid Closes Sustainability Gap for Paper Bowls

From a sustainability view, a plastic lid paired with a paper bowl for a foodservice salad bar isn’t an environmentally healthy match.

Which explains why fiber-based consumer packaging provider Graphic Packaging International (GPI) partnered with healthy eating outlet Picadeli to develop a new range of plastic-free paperboard lids for its paper-based salad bowls.

The high level of performance of the new paperboard lids means Picadeli can replace its entire line of plastic lids, eliminating 250 metric tons of plastic from the chain’s supply chain yearly. Recyclable in household paper waste streams, the new lids are made from renewable plant-based fiber sourced from sustainably managed forests.

The innovation offers a secure snap closure system that represents an upgrade on the performance of Picadeli's previous solution. It means the healthy eating giant can now offer a salad bowl and lid combination that is both free of plastic and offers excellent functionality, meeting the demands of consumers.

Fiber paper lids also bring high-quality graphics to the table.

“Everything we do, we do for our customers, and so it’s always pleasing to develop innovations that deliver on our customers’ expectations so emphatically,” says Åke Larsson, managing director of Graphic Packaging Tibro AB. That’s the GPI site involved in designing and producing the innovation. “The new lids offer the functionality required for Picadeli to eliminate plastic salad bowl lids from their supply chain. They also offer great branding benefits via high-quality printing onto the lid using water-based inks.”

Picadeli used this opportunity to add bold, playful messages to the lids, enticing consumers to engage with the brand — an important benefit as it is the market-leading healthy fast-food outlet in Europe and the US, with more than 2,000 salad bars in Europe. During the development of the new lid solution, Graphic Packaging optimized the design to ensure it remained rigid in chilled and moisture-rich environments.

“We’re honored to play a part in the sustainability efforts of brands like Picadeli,” adds Larsson. “Only by developing truly excellent fiber-based packaging can we help to make a difference to our planet.”

In welcoming the productive partnership, Henrik Åkerman, head of sourcing and supply chain at Picadeli, says “We value the health of our planet as much as we value healthy eating. We are committed to preserving as many of our planet’s precious resources as possible, while also producing high-quality, functional packaging for our consumers to enjoy. With that in mind, we are delighted to introduce this new lid to our packaging. It fulfills all our needs and helps us reduce the amount of plastic in our portfolio, in line with modern consumer demands.”