Faerch strengthens circular food packaging with expanded supply of tray rPET from Cirrec

DENMARK – Faerch is accelerating its circular packaging agenda as Cirrec, its integrated recycling division, boosts internal supply of tray-based recycled PET (tray rPET) to industrial levels.

Cirrec can now provide its full annual production capacity of 27,000 metric tons of rPET pellets for Faerch’s operations, securing a stable and high-quality food-grade packaging.

The increased output strengthens Faerch’s position as a leader in closed-loop recycling for rigid plastic trays, enabling the company to scale the transformation of post-consumer trays into new food-contact packaging.

It also provides insulation from volatile virgin PET markets, which have fluctuated due to energy prices, supply chain disruptions, and tightening sustainability regulations across Europe.

Tim Rademacker, divisional CEO for Recycling at Faerch Group and Cirrec, emphasized the importance of integrated control over the recycling pipeline, “Faerch ensures stability and quality in food packaging by managing the recycling process through Cirrec.

“This control allows us to secure high standards for raw materials, consistent quality, and reliable supply.”

“Clear and colored tray rPET offers a stable and sustainable recycled PET source, protecting customers from market volatility and supporting long-term business resilience,” he added.

“With our ambition, we can secure a constant supply and stable quality for all PET food packaging applications within the Faerch Group.”

Scaling circularity through infrastructure and innovation

Faerch aims to achieve 25–30% tray rPET content across its entire product portfolio this year, further integrating circularity targets into its certification and quality systems.

The company has been steadily expanding capabilities to process used food trays, one of the more challenging segments in plastics recycling due to contamination and multilayer structures.

Recent investments include the installation of Tomra Recycling’s flake sorting technologies at Cirrec, resulting in lower contamination levels and improved process efficiency.

This upgrade boosts the purity of both clear and colored rPET streams, supporting consistent pellet quality.

The company’s broader recycling model emphasizes collaboration with waste management partners, recyclers, and retailers to increase tray collection, sorting, and reprocessing.

As regulations in Europe push for mandatory recycled content and improved recyclability, Faerch’s vertically integrated approach positions it ahead of compliance requirements.

In line with its circularity ambitions, Faerch last year introduced CPET trays for chilled ready meals in the UK and Ireland featuring a minimum of 40% tray rPET from post-consumer sources.

The company reports strong adoption from retailers and meal manufacturers seeking stable supply and improved environmental credentials.

The move comes as global demand for food-grade rPET continues to outpace supply, driven by packaging legislation under the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive and rising corporate commitments to recycled content.

Competitors, including Klöckner Pentaplast, Berry Global, and Sabert, are also increasing investments in recycled PET infrastructure, but tray-to-tray recycling remains limited.

Faerch’s expanded internal capacity marks a significant step toward closing the loop at scale, reinforcing the company’s role as one of the few packaging suppliers converting used trays back into new food-grade trays on an industrial level.

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