Brussels, Belgium – In a bid to promote sustainable packaging and contribute to reducing plastic usage, Blue Ocean Closures, a Swedish-based sustainable startup, has announced a new partnership with Coca-Cola’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) research and development (R&D) facility, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
With a mission to combat the global plastic pollution crisis, Blue Ocean is introducing a revolutionary fiber-based packaging screw cap, which is set to undergo testing and further development at Coca-Cola’s EMEA R&D Center. This collaboration signifies a significant step toward a more sustainable future in the packaging industry.
Blue Ocean’s innovative fiber-based screw cap is both biobased and recyclable, bearing a striking resemblance to paper in its properties, aligning with the company’s commitment to five key principles: biobased, cost-effective, ocean-biodegradable, recyclable, and scalable.
Lars Sandberg, CEO of Blue Ocean, underscored the importance of partnering with global brands to transition away from fossil-based plastics, stating, “For us to succeed with this groundbreaking move, away from fossil-based plastics, it is extremely important to have global brands on board, with the ambition and ability to truly making a difference.”
In light of Coca-Cola’s own sustainability goals, this initiative is in harmony with the company’s efforts to advance sustainable packaging and reduce the use of non-renewable materials, as outlined in its World Without Waste strategy.
Daphné Ronat, a packaging engineer at Coca-Cola EMEA R&D Center, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration and the innovative journey ahead, saying, “We are excited to be part of the pioneer community and to help test and develop this innovation during its continued development. It fits both our sustainability strategy and our ongoing exploratory work with future packaging technologies which may complement other, existing types of packaging in our packaging mix.”
This partnership follows Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company’s recent collaboration with British packaging and paper company Mondi to introduce Mondi’s ‘Hug-IT’ sustainable sleeve packaging in Austria, marking a continued commitment to sustainable practices in the beverage industry.