Constantia Flexibles and NÖM launch paper-based butter wrap in Europe

EcoPaperHighPlus combines paper-based design with shelf-life performance comparable to conventional aluminium-based butter packaging.

Constantia Flexibles, the Vienna-headquartered flexible packaging manufacturer and the world’s third-largest producer in its industry, has launched a new paper-based butter wrap in Europe with NÖM AG, one of Austria’s largest dairy producers. The new packaging is based on EcoPaperHighPlus and is designed for recycling in the paper stream, subject to applicable collection, sorting, and recycling systems.

Developed and industrialised at Constantia Jeanne d’Arc with support from Constantia Flexibles’ R&D Paper Excellence Center, EcoPaperHighPlus addresses the specific packaging requirements of butter.

Butter packaging needs to protect the product from oxygen, light, aroma transfer, temperature fluctuations, and grease migration. EcoPaperHighPlus provides aroma protection, grease resistance, freezing resistance, and the deadfold performance required for butter wrapping. Tests with salted and unsalted butter showed shelf-life performance comparable to the conventional aluminium-based reference packaging.

EcoPaperHighPlus is PFAS-free and has been developed in line with 4evergreen design guidelines. Its recyclability has been tested according to CEPI laboratory method version 3.

Butter is a particularly demanding application for packaging, which is what makes this development significant. EcoPaperHighPlus combines the product protection and processing performance required for butter with a paper-based structure designed for recycling. Bringing the solution to market with NÖM takes it from technical development into a real consumer application.

Helene Chretien, Market Product Manager Dairy at Constantia Flexibles.

Designed for use on existing butter-wrapping equipment, EcoPaperHighPlus can be integrated into established production processes. With NÖM, the material is now entering commercial use in Europe, extending Constantia Flexibles’ paper-based packaging portfolio into the butter category.