Huhtamaki, a key global provider of sustainable packaging solutions, is launching Futuro, which it says is the first 100% plastic-free egg carton for cooked colored eggs, across markets in Europe.

The innovation is especially relevant to the German market, where hard-boiled eggs or ‘Bunte Eier’ remain a popular snack and an addition to lunch or dinner, with more than 80 million packs sold yearly. Hard-boiled eggs are currently regularly packed and sold in plastic packaging for sale in supermarkets.

“This is a step forward in helping our customers meet their sustainability targets and drive a circular economy. By simply switching to our fiber-based Futuro cartons, Germany could eliminate almost 2,400 metric tons of plastic from packaging for eggs yearly,” says Hilbrand van Dijk, sales and marketing manager at Huhtamaki.

Futuro cartons are made of post-consumer recycled fiber, and in Germany they can be recycled in the paper and cardboard stream as well as composted at home or in an industrial composting facility after use. Also, the new flapless design makes the cartons 10% lighter than standard fiber cartons, reducing their carbon footprint. The patented design also allows consumers to be able to see the eggs on retail shelves.

With a long tradition of selling fresh and cooked colored eggs, Moos-Butzen is the first distributor to start using Futuro egg cartons for their products in June. “Partnering with Huhtamaki was a strategic choice for us,” states Rainer Becker, managing director for Moos-Butzen. “Quality and sustainability are integral to how we operate, and we expect our partners to reflect these values. Bringing in the Futuro egg carton helps our customers make their products stand out on shelves in a sustainable way.”