Avantium, Hoogesteger strike sustainable packaging deal for fresh juices

NETHERLANDS – Avantium, a leading company in renewable and circular polymer materials, has entered a conditional offtake agreement with Hoogesteger, a Dutch-based leading producer of fresh cold-pressed juices, to equip it with a plant-based, recyclable polymer polyethylene furanoate (PEF) for beverage providers’ juice bottles.

Details of the deal include Hoogesteger purchasing the entire plant-based, recyclable polymer PEF (polyetehylene furanoate) from Avantium’s FDCA Flagship Plant for the use in bottles for its fresh juices made from ultra-fresh vegetables, fruit and fresh herbs.

Avantium brands the PEF as releaf to market it. The PEF is made entirely from plants and fully recyclable polymer, offering a renewable and circular packaging solution for Hoogesteger’s traditional packaging.

Releaf not only significantly reduces the carbon footprint compared to traditional plastics like PET, glass, or aluminium, but also provides an oxygen barrier ten times better than PET. This breakthrough in packaging technology not only extends the shelf life of products but also inspires a more sustainable future.  

Once Avantium’s commercial Flagship Plant is operational, the PEF bottles will be available in Albert Heijn, the largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands.

This partnership marks Albert Heijn’s third PEF-based product application after earlier collaborations with Royal Vezet for salad bowls and Refresco for juice bottles.

This partnership underscores Avantium’s commitment to sustainable packaging solutions and Hoogesteger’s dedication to delivering high-quality, innovative juices.  

“We are pleased to partner with Avantium to introduce PEF-based bottles for our fresh, cold-pressed juices. This collaboration aligns with our mission to deliver high-quality, sustainable products to our customers,” says Charles Arentsen, CEO of Hoogesteger. 

“We believe that these innovative PEF bottles will enhance the freshness and shelf life of our juices while reducing our environmental footprint.”

Bineke Posthumus, Commercial Director at Avantium, remarks, “We are proud to be expanding our partnership network with Hoogesteger. This agreement highlights the versatility and sustainability of releaf as a packaging material.”

“Together, we can provide Albert Heijn’s consumers with more sustainable choices and drive the transition to a circular economy.” 

Currently, Avantium is launching the key component of releaf, the world’s first commercial plant in Delfzijl designed to produce five kilotons of FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid) annually.

Sales governed by the offtake agreements are expected to commence in the latter half of 2025.

Avantium also plans to scale up releaf and FDCA production through technology licensing plants with capacities of 100 kilotons and beyond. This strategy will not only increase the availability of sustainable packaging solutions but also contribute to the global transition to a circular economy.

Recently, Avantium announced its partnership with the Bottle Collective to integrate its plant-based polyethylene furanoate (PEF) polymer into Dry Molded Fiber bottles.

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