Berry Global joins forces with VOID Technologies to launch eco-conscious film for pet food

USA – Berry Global Group, Inc. and VOID Technologies have joined forces to launch an innovative high-performance polyethylene (PE) film for pet food packaging.

This sustainable film combines superior strength, toughness, and puncture resistance with recyclability, offering an all-PE solution suitable for store drop-off recycling. The film addresses the industry’s need to eliminate problematic, non-recyclable materials.

The breakthrough product leverages VOID’s patented VO+™ technology, incorporating its 1300 Series PE Voiding Agents alongside Berry Global’s proprietary film formulations and Machine Direction Orientation (MDO) expertise.

This collaboration produces cavitated micro-scale air pockets within the film, reducing plastic density while enhancing opacity.

The result is a lightweight, high-performance film that lowers CO2 emissions and waste while adhering to direct food contact standards in North America and Europe.

Caleb Triplett, Director of Product Management – Flexible Packaging at Berry, emphasized the importance of partnerships in advancing sustainability, “As brand owners and consumers increasingly seek sustainable packaging, Berry views collaborations as key to delivering innovative solutions.

“Our work with VOID enables us to meet the demand for high-performance, eco-friendly films. Pet food packaging presents unique challenges, and this partnership demonstrates the combined expertise of Berry and VOID in overcoming them.”

The VO+™ cavitation technology significantly enhances film toughness, making it suitable for high-abuse applications.

It also reduces plastic usage, density, and the need for pigments, resulting in more sustainable recyclable mono-material PE films.

Graeme Karney, Chief Operating Officer at VOID Technologies, highlighted the collaboration’s transformative impact, “Our patented VO+™ technology, combined with Berry’s innovation, has enabled the development of a recyclable all-PE structure for applications previously reliant on multi-material packaging.

“This achievement helps brand owners make tangible progress toward their plastic sustainability goals. Partnering with Berry underscores our shared commitment to cutting-edge technologies that drive impactful change.”

Berry and VOID plan to extend the reach of their collaboration by exploring additional market applications for the VO+™ technology, further advancing sustainable packaging solutions across industries.

Berry Global develops first-of-its-kind POP bottle with Brookfield Drinks

In a separate initiative, Berry Global has partnered with Brookfield Drinks to launch a new spring water range in bottles made entirely from Prevented Ocean Plastic™ (POP).

Each 500ml NEO WTR bottle, produced using plastic collected from coastal areas at risk of ocean pollution, prevents the equivalent of approximately 1.7 plastic bottles from entering the ocean.

The bottle cap and label are fully recyclable, providing a complete circular packaging solution.

Berry collaborated with Brookfield to design a custom bottle that balances efficient filling, strong shelf presence, and user convenience.

The design features an embossed NEO WTR logo and a wraparound label highlighting the origins of the POP material.

Joe Horton, Sales and Marketing Director at Berry Global, praised the partnership, “This project is a testament to how businesses can achieve more together, meeting sustainability goals while addressing commercial needs.”

The POP material, sourced from Bantam Materials, is traceable, high-quality, and certified, with the bottle bearing a distinctive triangular logo.

Nigel McNally, Managing Director of NEO WTR, highlighted the achievement, “We are proud to lead the category with this 100% POP bottle. It’s an environmentally positive option that also delivers a great user experience. Berry’s expertise was crucial in meeting tight deadlines and ensuring a successful launch.”

NEO WTR natural British spring water, bottled in Cheddar, Somerset, is now available in 1,500 Tesco stores and 270 Sainsbury’s outlets nationwide.

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