In 2023, Kraft Heinz set a goal to reduce the use of virgin plastic in their global packaging portfolio by 20 percent by 2030 – a critical step in supporting a more circular economy and decreasing the use of fossil fuels.
One way Kraft Heinz is reducing virgin plastic is by exploring the use of alternative materials like fiber-based packaging, while delivering on customer and consumer expectations to protect the product and deliver functionality.
In 2023, Kraft Heinz transitioned its multi-serve Crystal Light packaging from plastic containers to paperboard. The new paperboard packaging is widely recyclable and is anticipated to reduce approximately three million pounds of plastic each year, moving the company closer to achieving their virgin plastic reduction goal.
The move from plastic to paperboard introduced several obstacles to overcome, including the modification of equipment to run the new material, as well as redesigning the package to ensure the product is protected through the distribution cycle, to the shelf and to consumers’ homes. The new packaging not only resolves these challenges, it provided an opportunity to improve its brand/shelf presence and harmonize their product line.