Huhtamaki unveils eco-friendly single-coated paper cups for yogurt and dairy

FINLAND – Huhtamaki, a global leader in sustainable food packaging, has introduced ProDairy, a recyclable single-coated paper cup explicitly designed for yogurt and dairy products.

Dairy packaging demands high food safety standards, and this innovative solution not only meets those requirements but also significantly reduces polymer content compared to traditional alternatives.

With less than 10% plastic content across its product range, ProDairy is fully recyclable in Europe.

“Dairy products are an essential part of daily life, and developing recyclable packaging for something as common as yogurt has been a challenge—especially while maintaining the high performance required for dairy,” said Fredrik Davidsson, President of Fiber Foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania at Huhtamaki.

“I am proud of our team and excited that we can now offer this solution at scale. Our ProDairy cups meet consumer expectations for reduced plastic while remaining highly functional and cost-efficient.”

One of the key challenges in reducing plastic in dairy packaging is ensuring a perfect seal and lid fit.

Huhtamaki has tackled this by developing a unique rim design and forming process that ensures excellent top rim sealing.

Additionally, strong side seam sealing is crucial for maintaining cup integrity, and ProDairy benefits from a proprietary sealing varnish technology developed in-house.

“Our team has identified a specialized varnish to replace the outer polyethylene layer, providing a paper-like texture with a matte finish while delivering a high moisture barrier for chilled dairy products,” Davidsson explained.

“ProDairy offers the same functional performance as traditional paper cups—with lower plastic content and full recyclability.”

Manufactured in Europe using renewable wood fibers sourced from sustainably managed forests, ProDairy is now ready for deployment with Huhtamaki’s customers. It offers an eco-friendly and scalable solution for the dairy industry.

DS Smith partners with Martins Brewery for interactive, recyclable beer bottle packaging

In related news, DS Smith has partnered with Slovakia-based Martins Brewery to develop a recyclable beer bottle pack that combines eco-friendly materials with an interactive design.

The six-handle packaging, made entirely from recycled materials and eco-friendly adhesive, features a simple unboxing experience and requires no complex machinery for assembly.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Martins Brewery on an innovative, interactive, and memorable packaging solution,” said Martin Němec, subregional managing director at DS Smith.

“Our design team focused on reducing the volume and number of materials while ensuring they remain in use for longer.”

The corrugated brown box incorporates a folding system that creates six individual beer bottle compartments.

Martins Brewery has included interactive mathematical puzzles designed to reflect the brand’s sociable ethos and encourage customer engagement.

“We wanted to combine ‘logically ecological beer’ with sustainable packaging,” said Norbert Pilka, CEO at Martins Brewery.

“The packaging immediately catches customers’ attention in retail, and the puzzles, like the recyclable packaging, can be reused.”

DS Smith applied its Circular Design Metric tool to assess the packaging’s sustainability performance across eight key indicators, including carbon footprint, recyclability, and material utilization.

The initiative aligns with DS Smith’s Now and Next strategy, which focuses on helping businesses transition to a circular economy.

The company recently partnered with Danish egg producer Niels & Grete to replace plastic packaging with fully recyclable molded pulp trays.

DS Smith and International Paper have also joined forces to establish a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions, focusing on North America and EMEA.

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