ITS’ technology will enable restaurants, cafes, offices, stadiums, and other venues to offer brands in CCEP’s portfolio via self-service taps. Through this system, consumers can refill their own drinks and pay for the quantity served themselves, directly through the tap.

The self-pour, self-pay technology offers consumers a packaging-free delivery method for their drinks, while also aiming to cut down queues, reduce the need for unnecessary contact, and free up serving staff – features that are beneficial as COVID-19 restrictions lift.

ITS, which is new to Europe, will be piloted with CCEP customers Restalia – a Spanish multinational catering group – and Aspro Parks – a company specialising in theme parks, water parks, zoos, and leisure centres.

The first ITS devices have been installed in Restalia’s 100 Montaditos restaurant at Centro Comercial TresAguas shopping centre, located in Madrid, and at Aspro Parks’s Palmitos Park and Aqualand Maspalomas, in Gran Canaria.

This initiative represents a step forward in CCEP’s This is Forward Action on Packaging strategy, which was launched in 2017. CCEP has committed to investing and innovating in refillable and dispensed delivery models with the aim of reducing packaging where it can and eliminating packaging waste, while lowering its carbon footprint as part of its 2040 net-zero ambition.

Craig Twyford, co-founder of CCEP Ventures, the company’s investment arm, comments: “We’re always looking for new and innovative ways for people to enjoy our drinks, thinking beyond the traditional bottle or can, and ITS is a great example of how we’re using technology to help our customers sell and deliver our products in different ways.

“One of the key focus areas for CCEP Ventures is exploring new partnerships and investments to accelerate sustainable packaging innovation and how we can deliver more beverages while using less packaging.

“ITS is an opportunity for us to explore and test new dispensed and packaging-free delivery solutions and, alongside other steps, create a circular economy model that will help us reduce, reuse and recycle our packaging.”

CCEP Ventures invested in ITS in 2020 and plans to co-develop the self-pour, self-pay solution for soft drinks with the goal of bringing new packaging and packaging-free innovations to market for CCEP customers.

• New development based on proven technology
• Modular design gives customers great flexibility
• Up to 108,000 cans an hour processed

The packaging is user friendly, the material kind to the environment, the machine powerful: the KHS Group’s Innopack Kisters CNP (Carton Nature Packer) processes can toppers made of cardboard at a rate of up to 108,000 cans per hour. With the help of its recently developed CNP machine, the turnkey supplier is now establishing a further sustainable form of secondary packaging on the market.

The Innopack Kisters CNP has been designed as a modular system that can be individually added to as and when required. This means that operators can switch to different cardboard materials or alter the pack size, among other options. With it KHS offers its customers smart, flexible plant technology that enables them to perfectly react to rapidly changing consumer demands. Sören Storbeck, global packaging product account manager at KHS, knows just how important this flexibility is in secondary packaging. “On the market we’re noticing that packaging variants are being established as alternatives to single-use plastic, especially in the beer and carbonated soft drink segments.” Over the past few years KHS has thus built up an extensive portfolio of environmentally-friendly, recyclable systems and solutions.

Environmentally-friendly packaging without plastic

The new Innopack Kisters CNP also contributes to this strategic alignment. KHS has found a strong partner for its sustainable packaging system: the cardboard can toppers, available in both a closed (TopClip) and open (GreenClip) version, are by Smurfit Kappa, one of the biggest manufacturers of cardboard in the world. “Thanks to Smurfit Kappa’s many years of expertise, coupled with our complex specialist knowledge in mechanical engineering, we can offer our customers a future-proof packaging system that’s sustainable, consumer friendly and gentle on resources,” Storbeck explains.

In relation to the open topper solution, whilst still working very closely with Smurfit Kappa, KHS found it important to also find a solution that is independent of the blank manufacturer in order to offer its customers maximum flexibility and freedom when choosing their packaging materials suppliers. A range of  freely selectable options is also available when it comes to processing. Accordingly, the new cardboard packer can be used for both standard and sleek can formats holding between 250 and 580 milliliters. The alternative to classic plastic film or plastic rings also manages various sizes of multipack containing four, six or eight containers.

Benefits at the point of sale

Adhesive is not used during processing; the pack is kept stable by the punched and folded cardboard topper. “This means that the cardboard satisfies the highest demands for sustainability. It’s made of renewable raw materials and is fully recyclable and biodegradable,” smiles Storbeck. With this the KHS Group is once again pursuing its goal to close the materials loop in the interest of a circular economy. The packer is also convincing with its extremely low energy consumption.

As an option, the CNP machine can be equipped with a camera-controlled orientation module. The great advantage here is that with the help of the module cans can be individually and precisely positioned within the pack. This gives beverage producers and retailers a number of clear benefits, especially in product marketing. The option of individual can alignment makes the brand more visible to consumers, heightening the product’s presence at the point of sale. The cardboard topper also provides extra space for advertising messages.

Based on proven technology

Although the Innopack Kisters CNP is a new development from KHS, it is based on proven technology. The first six meters of the machine, for example, are identical to the Innopack Nature MultiPack now established on the market. Moreover, the modular Carton Nature Packer can be integrated into existing lines without any problem. In order to ideally tailor the machine to individual requirements, KHS offers its customers and all other interested parties a comprehensive consultancy service – from planning through configuration to implementation of the system.

With its new development the systems supplier is consistently complying with its philosophy of offering its clients flexible machinery that can process an extremely broad spectrum of secondary packaging – in full accordance with the wishes and requirements of the bottler or canner. “Optimizing our systems and saving on materials and energy as a result have long been among our core activities,” emphasizes Storbeck. “In the Carton Nature Packer we offer the beverage industry yet another system that’s fit for the future.”

Rieke’s Mono™-2e dispenser, which is currently in production, was the first dispenser pump on the market made from one polymer grade resin, making it more easily recycled, without sorting or separation. After proving production robustness, it became commercially available and ready for advanced design applications for customers serving the beauty, personal care and other end markets.

“Our commitment to sustainable practices has been long-standing at TriMas, as it exemplifies our core values of integrity and respect for the environment and the communities in which we operate,” said Thomas Amato, TriMas President and Chief Executive Officer. “TriMas’ Packaging group leads the way with innovative, sustainable products, and is continuing to design and develop new products to meet customers’ and consumers’ evolving sustainability goals.”

The highly innovative Mono™-2e was recognized as a 2020 finalist of the Sustainability Packaging Coalition Innovator Awards for the revolutionary single-polymer design, as the patented pump features six parts, all made from one polymer. It is 100% recyclable and designed to significantly reduce its carbon footprint. In addition, the Mono™-2e is e-commerce ready, minimizing the risk of leakage during shipping, and is Amazon ISTA 6 compliant.

“Our goal was to deliver a dispensing pump designed to facilitate the recycling process, making it easy for consumers by eliminating the metal spring and reducing the number of materials used,” explained Fabio Salik, President of TriMas Packaging. “We are also working on developing additional dispensing products made from a single-material without compromising quality, aesthetics, performance or formula compatibility. We look forward to launching our newest pump that is currently in advanced stages of testing, under the brand Singolo™.”

TriMas Packaging’s line of single-polymer dispensing pumps is available to customers through its global locations in North America, Asia and Europe. These advanced product designs also contribute to the increasing sustainability trend of using post-consumer resin (PCR) and can more easily feed the PCR stream without additional processes to separate different grades or varieties of polymer. The Mono™-2e pump’s single polypropylene grade of material enables easy reuse upon recycling which reduces additional steps, investments and overall carbon footprint.

Every year, more than 350 million tonnes of plastic – much of it used by the food industry – is produced worldwide. According to researchers at the ETH Zürich university in Switzerland, these plastics contain a huge variety of chemicals that may be released during their lifecycles -- including substances that pose a significant risk to people and the environment. However, only a small proportion of the chemicals contained in plastic are publicly known or have been extensively studied.

A team of ETH researchers claims to have for the first time compiled a comprehensive database of plastic monomers, additives and processing aids for use in the production and processing of plastics on the world market, and systematically categorized them on the basis of usage patterns and hazard potential.

The team identified around 10,500 chemicals in plastic: 2,109 were used in food-contact applications; in packaging (2,489), textiles (2,429); some are for toys (522) and medical devices, including masks (247).

Of the 10,500 substances identified, the researchers categorized 2,480 substances (24%) as substances of potential concern. Amoung food-contact applications, 679 are substances of potential concern.

Of of the 679 substances of potential concern amoung food-contact applications, the study revelealed there are:

• 528 high-production volume chemicals, 434 not regulated chemicals, and 52 chemicals without any scientific references.
• 9 are persistent and bioaccumulative, 120 are carcinogenic, 51 are mutagenic, 132 are toxic for reproduction, 300 are toxic for specific target organs, 404 are toxic for aquatic organisms, and 22 are endocrine disrupting
• 119 substances of unknown or variable composition (UVCBs), 131 contain metals, 507 are (partially) organic, 13 contain silicon, 23 contain phosphor, 77 contain sulfur, and 92 contain halogens (like bromine, chlorine, fluorine, etc.)

Of the 2,109 chemicals that are used, there are:

• 513 substances of unknown or variable composition (UVCBs), 402 contain metals, 1682 are (partially) organic, 69 contain silicon, 90 contain phosphor, 226 contain sulfur, and 214 contain halogens (like bromine, chlorine, fluorine, etc.) 

"This means that almost a quarter of all the chemicals used in plastic are either highly stable, accumulate in organisms or are toxic. These substances are often toxic to aquatic life, cause cancer or damage specific organs,"​ said Helene Wiesinger, doctoral student at the Chair of Ecological Systems Design and lead author of the study. About half are chemicals with high production volumes in the EU or the US, she said.

"It is particularly striking that many of the questionable substances are barely regulated or are ambiguously described,"​ Wiesinger added.

Surprisingly, despite having highly problematic hazardous properties, 901 substances of concern also appear on the regulatory positive lists for use in food-contact plastics, the study claimed, with 225 of these approved in the EU.

In total, 53% of all the substances of potential concern are not regulated in the US, the EU or Japan.

Also surprisingly, about 350 substances of potential concern appear on both negative (e.g., authorization requested for specific uses and bans in certain applications) and positive (i.e., approval for use in food-contact plastics) regulatory lists. For example, while authorization is required for use of dibutyl phthalate (CASRN 84-74-2) in the EU and Republic of Korea, it is approved for use in food-contact plastics in the EU, US, and Japan. According to the researchers, this regulatory inconsistency “needs to be properly addressed, for example, through closer collaboration among regulatory domains and agencies”.

Finally, scientific studies are lacking for about 10% of the identified substances of potential concern.

Until now, research, industry and regulators have mainly concentrated on a limited number of dangerous chemicals known to be present in plastics,"​ said Wiesinger, adding that today, plastic packaging is seen as a main source of organic contamination in food.

"The unexpectedly high number of substances of potential concern is worrying,"​ added Zhanyun Wang, senior scientist in Hellweg's group. Exposure to such substances can have a negative impact on the health of consumers and workers, he said, adding that problematic chemicals can also affect recycling processes and the safety and quality of recycled plastics.

The two researchers identified the lack of transparency in chemicals in plastics and dispersed data silos as a main problem. In over two and a half years of detective work, they combed through more than 190 publicly accessible data sources from research, industry and authorities and identified 60 sources with sufficient information about intentionally added substances in plastics. "We found multiple critical knowledge and data gaps, in particular for the substances and their actual uses. This ultimately hinders consumers' choice of safe plastic products,"​ they wrote in the study, adding they are pursuing the goal of a sustainable circular plastic economy. 

Combining vegan, fair trade chocolate with vitamins, botanicals and clinically researched ingredients, the newest product extends the Functional Chocolate line with a new formulation designed to assist with focus and productivity.

As students return to classrooms and workers return to office life, while others remain working from home offices, kitchens and basements, productivity and engagement are a struggle for many. Distractions are everywhere, pulling concentration in countless directions.

“As we come out of such an unusual year, the challenge of balancing work or studies with outside responsibilities and passions is more difficult than ever before,” explained Nicole Smith, CEO, The Functional Chocolate Company. “Based on years of research and full of clinically-researched ingredients, our team formulated Brainy Chocolate as a delicious way to get your head back in the game.”

With a combination of trusted botanicals including ginkgo biloba, bacopa and rhodiola, paired with a proprietary blend of amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids and Chocamine, a patented cocoa-based ingredient that may help improve cognitive function, the brand says its Zesty Orange flavoured Brainy Chocolate brings consumers back to centre with calm focus.

Other offerings from The Functional Chocolate company include:

• Energy Chocolate
• Sleepy Chocolate
• Carefree Chocolate for Stress and Anxiety
• Hot Chocolate for Menopause
• Sexy Chocolate for Low Libido
• Rhythm Chocolate for PMS

All of The Functional Chocolate Company’s bars are made with Fair Trade 60% cacao from a cooperative of South American farmers. Crafted in the USA, these bars are 100% plant-based, vegan, dairy-free, non-GMO, cholesterol-free and gluten free.

Coconut beverage maker Kokomio announced that it will process husks from its Mexico-grown coconuts into shipping materials for the transportation of the brand’s coconut beverage. The new initiative is expected to be in place by late spring 2021 in Kokomio’s Mexico City plant. The company says that this initiative moves it forward in its effort to develop products that use 100% of the coconut with zero waste.

Kokomio says its new manufacturing process involves using the coconut husks to produce a proprietary insulation that it says is both superior and highly sustainable. With this new material, the brand secures improved insulation for its perishable product. Kokomio will use the new materials to ship its entire product line, which includes coconut beverage varieties using cold brew coffee, pineapple and cacao as well as an original flavor. Additional innovations, which the company says will move the brand toward its goal of utilizing 100% of the coconut, are currently being explored.

“From the beginning, we saw a need for continued support and economic opportunities for the coconut growers in Guerrero, so creating a pure organic coconut beverage, like the ones I enjoyed in Acapulco in my childhood, seemed to be the right choice,” says Alan Cohen, co-founder and CEO of Kokomio. “We also discovered that consumers in the U.S. are thirsty for a fresh, real coconut beverage, with less natural sugar — made closer to home from Mexico. But they’re also highly interested in supporting products that are developed from a population with humanely treated animals and workers. We’ve been able to accomplish that with Kokomio. Our coconut beverage is made from Guerrero coconuts, and not from Thai coconuts. Thai sourced coconuts account for 90% of the coconut beverages made available in the U.S. today.”