This week, we have a range of products aiming for sustainable packaging: from wine and spirits, to coffee, to ketchup. We also have kombucha made from watermelons grown in Italy, honey from the UAE, and bread from Danish bakery Ole and Steen.
Image Source: alphaspirit/Getty Images
This week, we have a range of products aiming for sustainable packaging: from wine and spirits, to coffee, to ketchup. We also have kombucha made from watermelons grown in Italy, honey from the UAE, and bread from Danish bakery Ole and Steen.
Image Source: alphaspirit/Getty Images
The UAE’s RAK Samar Honey has now launched in the UK.
The rare honey is sourced from the terracotta mountains of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) in the United Arab Emirates, a landscape which is key to its production. It has been held sacred by the locals for many hundreds of years.
The honey is extracted from the Samar tree, which is grown in remote regions and is known for its white flowers, which bloom only a couple of weeks each year.
Its flavour profile is also a selling point, its thick amber nectar containing hints of carob, dark spices and ripe figs.
The honey also has health benefits, containing vitamins such as Succinic acid, Malic acid, Potassium, Magnesium and Polyphenols. The vegetation in the landscape allows the honeybee to produce such unique honey.
The rare honey can be brought on the RAK Samar website for £75.
Image Source: RAK Samar Honey
Coffee and tea company JDE Peet’s has announced the release of paper packaging for its soluble coffee ranges. The packaging will be fully recyclable, and is designed to maximise sustainability within soluble coffee ecosystem by incentivising reuse of glass and tin products. The packaging is the first of its kind within the coffee market.
Furthermore, the coffee included within has the lowest carbon footprint out of any of JDE Peet’s coffees.
The packaging is part of JDE Peet’s aim to make its entire range more sustainable across its supply chain, and to make all packaging recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2030.
The new range will be available in 2024 in selected markets across a range of JDE Peet brands.
“This is an important step in driving the sustainability agenda of our company and yet another sign of our leadership in innovation,” said Fabien Simon, JDE Peet’s CEO.
“We know that reducing packaging and promoting recyclability and reusability are increasing consumer needs. By providing more sustainable solutions within soluble coffee, one of the world’s most beloved and consumed beverages, we can maximise our positive contribution in decarbonising our own portfolios and the coffee market as a whole.”
Image Source: JDE Peet
Danish bakery Ole and Steen are launching a new Brød of the Week campaign to raise awareness for a range of new breads that they’re releasing over the summer. Brød is Danish for bread.
Each week, Ole and Steen posts a Brød of the Week on Instagram, with all the details necessary to draw bread-lovers in.
Among the seasonal loaves Ole and Steen are releasing is the Christianshavner Loaf, which has a crispy crust but a moist crumb, and is baked with seeds and wheat flower and topped with oats; a Sønderjysk, a rye bread with a malty and mild flavour; a Chia Rye Loaf; and a Garlic and Herb Tear and Share, which is soft, fluffy and similar to Japanese milk bread.
Each loaf is made fresh every night and baked each morning, using traditional techniques and top-quality ingredients, by Ole and Steen’s bakers. They will also be releasing recipe cards in-store.
The loaves are available from £4.95 in store and on Deliveroo.
Image Source: Ole and Steen
Fruit juice company EAGER has launched in Whole Foods outlets across the UK. Before this, the juice was only available to buy from Amazon, Ocado, independent shops and its own website. The flavours which will be sold are orange, pineapple, apple, cranberry and grapefruit, each in a 1L carton.
The juice, made purely from squished fruit, can be stored without refrigeration, meaning that it uses less energy. It is a favourite of bars and pubs such as Young’s Pubs and Alchemist Bars & Restaurants.
The launch across Whole Foods markets comes after the brand’s 2022 decision to launch a DTC offering.
“Seeing our cartons stand out on the shelves in Whole Foods is wonderful and we’re delighted to be in a store that has such high standards for everything they choose to stock,” said Ed Rigg, EAGER’s founder.
“Like our existing juice customers, they want the best, and are shoppers who are proactively looking to make more sustainable product choices. For us, we’re on a mission to reduce the impact of the juice we drink, on our planet and our health - and we’re grateful to Whole Foods for being on the journey with us.
“Created to serve chilled, and store wherever. EAGER ships its juice in boxes at truck temperature, so you can store it at room temperature, and waste less watts of refrigeration…the only added sweetener is convenience!”
Image Source: EAGER drinks
Beanies, a low-sugar and low-calorie coffee brand specialising in coffee of different flavours, has released its Nespresso-compatible coffee pods in the supermarket retailer Aldi.
They are available in three flavours: vanilla, hazelnut and caramel. They are available in packs of ten.
The pods are fully home-compostable, and will disintegrate within the space of 26 weeks at ambient temperatures inside a home compost heap.
They’re suitable for vegetarians and vegans, as well as free of dairy, wheat and gluten.
Image Source: Beanies
Kraft Heinz plans to launch launched a recyclable cap for the squeezy bottles which house its ketchup, meaning that the whole bottle will be fully recyclable and able to be recycled on regular kerbside collection. This means that a potential 3 million caps can be recycled instead of sent to landfill.
The new cap is made of a single, rigid material which, unlike the old cap, is easy to recycle. It also makes the ketchup easier to squeeze out.
The move is part of Kraft Heinz’s plans to make 100% of its packaging recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025.
The cap will be available in August on all bottles 400ml or bigger. To find it, look for the 100% recyclable label.
“We fully support this innovation from Heinz and welcome this packaging development,” said Adam Herriott, Senior Sector Specialist at WRAP.
“All products and packaging have an impact on the environment. Whilst prevention/elimination of packaging in the first instance would be the ideal scenario (and at the top of the hierarchy), packaging plays an important, practical and convenient role. Therefore, the next step is to look at ensuring as much of it is recyclable, reusable or compostable as possible.”
Image Source: Kraft Heinz
Prodigy, the B-Corp certified plant-based chocolate brand, has launched a new biscuit range.
The biscuit range, which is rebranded as Phenomenons, contains only low natural sugars (only 4.6g) as well as, like Prodigy’s other products, being suitable for vegans.
The new range consists of plant-based versions of two classic biscuits, Chocolate Oaties and Chocolate Digestives. The oaties contain cacao-rich single-origin chocolate, with antioxidants and fibre-rich oats, while the digestives boast a wheat-free biscuit base. Both biscuits are gluten free, and contain 3.5g of probiotic fibre for gut health.
The purchase of each pack funds the removal of five ocean-bound plastic wrappers from the environment on purchase.
The range can be bought for £8.49 for 12 snack-size packs.
Image Source: Prodigy
Amcor Capsules, the wine and spirits company, has launched a new sustainability initiative, TRANSPARENCE.
The programme uses data to drive towards clearly defined goals to use more sustainable closures and capsules, data which will be verified and certified by independent third-party sources.
The initiative is based on three principles: Reduce, which involves Amcor reducing its carbon footprint by 18% by FY25 compared to FY20, working closely with aluminium suppliers and reducing the use of secondary packaging in order to reach this goal; Recycle, which involves researching into the best methods to ensure all its products are recyclable or reusable by 2025; and Respect, which involves releasing information about the safety and sustainability of its supply chain to investors and the general public.
“TRANSPARENCE is a strong commitment that directly supports Wine and Spirits brands and distributors,” said Yannick Magnon, General Manager of Amcor Capsules.
“It is our commitment to continue to offer stronger sustainable solutions in the future, with corresponding environmental impacts and improvements independently verified and certified in the most transparent way. With such a public pledge, we aim to build trust and understanding, and improve standards of sustainability in our industry.”
Image Source: Ancor Capsules
Strong Roots, the B-Corp certified frozen plant-based food brand, is going on a tasting tour of the UK, taking its food to 11 towns and cities across the country.
Its frozen food trailer is giving consumers free samples of a wide range of plant-based products, including Cauliflower Hash Browns, Pumpkin and Spinach Burgers, and Spinach Bites.
Visitors to the trailer will also get the chance to play classic arcade games, use a QR code to get more free samples, and collect coupons to be redeemed at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Asda, Morrisons, Co-op and M&S stores.
The tastings will be available from 11am to 7pm.
“We are very excited to be taking our Frozen Grocer on tour this Summer” said Samuel Dennigan, CEO and founder of Strong Roots. “This is the perfect way to give our UK fans a chance to stock up on their favourite products, and hopefully for some future fans to try our range and discover their new freezer staple.”
Image Source: Strong Roots
Kombucha brand MOMO have collaborated with greengrocer Natoora to create a watermelon Kombucha, which will be available on 25 July.
The drink combines MOMO’s Kombucha with Sentinel Watermelon, which was grown by Oscar Zerbinati, in Mantua, Northern Italy, an area well-known for its melon growing. Growing the melons slowly, Zerbinati ensures that each plant only has one melon, which focuses all the plant’s energy on that single fruit, and restricts their water intake, forcing them to cling to the nutrients in the soil. They can grow up to 18kg.
MOMO’s kombucha is brewed in small glass jars, which ensures that the bacteria and yeast are balanced.
“We are so grateful to have partnered with Natoora and to have been able to combine Zerbinati’s expertly grown watermelons with our kombucha,” said MOMO founder Josh Puddle.
“I wasn’t sure the flavour would cut through the kombucha, but it really does and has totally surpassed our expectations – all credit to our Head Brewer Matt Canham. We’re also happy to be supporting Natoora’s Farm Fund through this partnership, a fantastic organisation supporting young farmers committed to agroecological methods.”
As well as Natoora and MOMO’s website, the new drink will be available from Planet Organic and Whole Foods.
Image Source: MOMO
