Yangi’s Cellera dry-former hits USA with 4.3-second cycle times

SWEDEN – Swedish packaging technology developer Yangi has entered the U.S. market with its Cellera dry-forming platform for fibre-based foodservice packaging, offering cycle times as fast as 4.3 seconds and 90-99 percent less water consumption compared to conventional wet moulding.

The company will introduce its quick-service restaurant range, including plates, bowls, hot- and cold-beverage lids and takeaway trays, at PACK EXPO International in Chicago from 18 to 21 October 2026. 

The expansion is backed in part by a grant from the Swedish Energy Agency. Cellera’s dry-forming process eliminates the water slurry and multiple drying stages required in conventional wet moulding, along with the associated infrastructure and floor space. 

The platform has already been commissioned at a European converter’s production site, demonstrating continuous operation, high uptime and repeatable product quality under industrial conditions.

90% Less Water and 55-75% Less Energy

Yangi reports that Cellera reduces process water use by 90 to 99 percent compared with standard wet moulding, as the forming stage does not involve a water-based step. 

Energy consumption stands at 1.8 kWh/kg, against 4 to 7 kWh/kg for conventional wet moulding, representing a 55 to 75 percent reduction in electricity use based on a third-party verified life cycle assessment. 

The shorter forming cycle is intended to give converters greater throughput while avoiding the drying bottleneck associated with conventional fibre processes. 

Anna Altner, founder of Yangi, stated that dry forming has moved from concept to industrial reality and that Cellera is running today on a converter’s production floor, not in a lab.

Live Foodservice Validation and Tariff Context

Yangi’s dry-formed takeaway trays have completed a live foodservice deployment through a collaboration with Flavor Boss, a Swedish food-truck operator, performing reliably throughout a full day of festival service. 

The company’s technical centre in Varberg serves as a proving ground where converters and brands can validate product performance at industrial-relevant volumes ahead of market launch. 

The U.S. market entry comes as anti-dumping duties and tariffs on imported moulded fibre products push converters and brands to look for domestic alternatives. 

Hanna Rüdel, chief commercial officer of Yangi, noted that the Cellera platform provides U.S. converters with a renewable, FSC-certified, PFAS-free material that is proven curbside recyclable, deployable at scale, with the performance to match.

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