The number of consumers that are being influenced by environmental concerns is increasing by the day. This has forced makers of packaged goods to rethink the materials they use, and how they wrap their products.
That’s why Nestlé has developed new biodegradable paper packaging for its healthy YES! snack bars. Using a high-speed flow wrap technology, it aims to make all of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. Nestlé says that the wrapping biodegrades within 6 months.
In the past, environmental group Greenpeace criticized Nestlé for not eliminating single-use plastics quickly enough. Since then, the Swiss company focused on recyclable or reusable packaging and has even set up an institute to develop new solutions in this field.
Alexander von Maillot, Nestlé’s head of confectionery said:
Consumers want to make a change by making a purchasing decision, this could really change packaging in confectionery in the future.
Yes! snack bars are not the only products they have wrapped in paper. The company also packaged its flavored milk powder Nesquik in paper and plans to introduce paper-based pouches for its Milo health drink in 2020.
“Once scaled up, the paper packaging could be extended to other products such as its KitKat bars, but at this stage, Nestlé’s partners cannot supply enough paper”, said Jas Scott de Martinville, head of Nestlé’s confectionery research center in York, England. The paper comes from sustainable sources, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and The Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification.
Up until now, high-speed production of shelf-stable snacks was successfully achieved only by using plastic films and laminates. Now, paper with a water-based coating can be used at a large scale while guaranteeing product quality and freshness over the entire shelf life.
Each YES! bar is packed with wholesome ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Some of them are vegan, lactose-free and gluten-free; high in fiber, a good source of protein and sugar-free. The flavors include Sea Salt & Almond; Dark Chocolate, Banana & Pecan; and Raspberry & Chia Seeds.
YES! snack bars were first launched in the UK. After encouraging results and good feedback from retail customers, the bars will now be available in over a dozen European countries, including Germany, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Luxemburg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
