Smurfit Kappa has collaborated with a leading UK recipe box company, Mindful Chef, to reduce the company’s carbon footprint by making its packaging more sustainable.

Mindful Chef experienced a huge increase in demand for its home-delivered recipe kits during the pandemic. The company, which has been climate-neutral since 2020, is committed to making every aspect of its business as sustainable as possible.

Its previous recipe box consisted of insulation pouches combined with gel ice packs which, whilst effective at keeping the contents cool, were not easily recycled.

Experts at Smurfit Kappa’s Experience Centre in Yate came up with a 100% recyclable alternative that was better for the environment while still maintaining the required temperatures over extended periods. The new solution encompasses corrugated cardboard insulation packs, with a 30% lower carbon footprint than the previous insulation, in a snug, two-piece telescopic design.

The new packaging solution was thoroughly tested at Smurfit Kappa’s International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) certified testing lab in Northampton to ensure that it met the strict requirements for fresh food transportation. During testing, the new packaging solution demonstrated that it kept the ingredients under 8°c for over 30 hours in ambient conditions.

Eddie Fellows, CEO of Smurfit Kappa UK & Ireland, said, “We were delighted to partner with Mindful Chef on this exciting project which resulted in improved product protection and an eye-catching packaging solution that is better for the planet.

“So many customers are looking for tailored eCommerce solutions that meet the growing consumer demand for sustainable packaging. The teams at our Experience Centre and ISTA lab were able to create something special for Mindful Chef that meets the highest standards of social and environmental performance alongside enhancing the brand.”

David Waller, Mindful Chef’s buying manager, added, “Working in close collaboration with Smurfit Kappa has helped us in achieving our goal of becoming even more sustainable.

“Our new insulation packs are perfect for keeping our food fresh during transportation. This helps to ensure that we meet our customers’ expectations which in turn ensures an excellent experience when they receive their orders.”