When Tetra Pak first conceptualized a “retortable carton” years ago, its own industry could not envision it. Thanks to unprecedented innovation investment, however, Tetra Pak is today poised to help its customers to capitalize on a stagnated canned food aisle.

Tetra Pak cartons have already captured 39% unit share of the broth category, and our aspiration is to build on this momentum and further penetrate the center aisles of the grocery store with Tetra Recart.

Tetra Pak works closely with more than 75 global brands using the Tetra Recart technology and packaging. Strong, competitive performance can be seen in markets like Italy, UK and Sweden, with aggressive growth opportunities emerging in the U.S, Latin American and Asian markets. The company expects increased momentum for is Tetra Recart portfolio in the years ahead. In 2010 alone, more than 100 SKUs have been introduced in the market in Tetra Recart packaging - leading private label soup brands have begun producing soups in Tetra Recart already.

At first glance, the square Tetra Recart carton resembles many other Tetra Pak packages, or aseptic cartons. However, the Tetra Recart is a technological breakthrough designed for food products traditionally packed in cans, glass jars or pouches. In order to accommodate these foods, the Tetra Recart differs from Tetra Pak’s aseptic cartons in two major ways. Firstly, the packaging material has a different structure from traditional carton packages in order to withstand the rigors of the retorting process. Secondly, while the package looks similar to existing carton packages, it is produced differently, and has a new opening solution (allowing consumers to open the package with no can opener, and presents no sharp edges).

Tetra Recart is a combined processing and packaging system designed for in-container sterilization of food. The paperboard laminate material used to produce Tetra Recart packaging allows the product in the package to be sterilized in the same manner as the traditional canning process.

In April 2009, Tetra Pak joined forces with three other carton manufacturers to form the Carton Council in order to help advance improvements to carton recycling infrastructure across the country, building on the already significant environmental benefits afforded by carton packaging. The Carton Council has constructed a program designed to stimulate the entire supply and demand chain for carton recycling. Key principles that guide the work of the Carton Council include:
• Promote recycling strategies that are environmentally sound, socially responsible, and economically sustainable.
• Encourage production and recycling systems that minimize life-cycle impacts and use recovered resources in the manner that maximizes their value and contribution to local economies.
• Support implementation of recycling technologies and programs that are proven to work and enhance existing community recycling efforts.

By the close of 2010, more than 30 million households in 30 states had access to carton and aseptic packaging recycling (out of the 112.3 million households nationwide). Whereas 18 percent of households had carton recycling access in 2009, now one in three households can recycle cartons. This is an astonishing achievement for what’s still considered a relatively new stream of recycling in America.

Tetra Recart packaging helps its customers meet their environmental goals. Tetra Recart offers numerous environmental benefits throughout its packaging life. The total carbon footprint of the Tetra Recart packaging system is low due to fact that the package is light weight and compact:
• 66% of the Tetra Recart package is made from paper, a renewable and renewed resource.
Paperboard comes from responsibly-sourced, well-managed forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (source: Tetra Pak)
• Tetra Recart packages are shipped flat. As a result, one standard truck with empty Tetra Recart cartons correspond to nine trucks with empty cans (source: Tetra Pak)
• Conversion from steel can to Tetra Recart reduces package weight by 64% (Source: IFEU Gmbh 2006 “LCA for Tetra Recart and competitive packs in Germany”, Peer reviewed study)
• Tetra Recart packages are recyclable. In fact, one in three US households have access to carton recycling already and the number is growing www.recyclecartons.com (source: Carton Council)

Retailers have been looking for innovation in stagnate categories like soup, which haven’t seen much transformation other than flavor flankers. Tetra Recart allows retailers to drive packaging innovation with their brands when there is little innovation happening with national brands. These innovations bring news to the category, attract new shoppers and drive category growth.