The iconic Heinz ‘Snap Pot’ – manufactured by Berry Global – has added to its already impressive trophy cabinet after winning a Gold award at the Environmental Packaging Awards. Entered into the Ambient Food category by brand owner Kraft Heinz, the concept was selected by judges based on the Snap Pot’s successful switch to a version made with 39% recycled plastic.

First launched in 2008, the Snap Pot has been redeveloped to reflect advances in post-consumer recycled content for food packaging and the drive by supermarkets and end users for more sustainable packaging. The award-winning concept was created in a partnership between Heinz, Tesco, Berry Global and recycling technology experts Plastic Energy and Sabic.

“This latest award – which follows a UK Packaging Award and a Silver Award at the global Packaging Innovation Awards – recognises how the companies involved have improved sustainability for Heinz Snap Pots while retaining the qualities that continue to make them a hit with consumers: handy snappable format, microwave-ready, and freshness retention,” said Héloïse Carlier, International R&D Packaging Technology Expert at The Kraft Heinz Company.

The judges were impressed by the project’s ability to support the move towards a circular economy by diverting, recovering, and upcycling plastics which would otherwise have been sent to landfill or incineration.

The Heinz Snap Pots produced by Berry Global use 39% ISCC PLUS-certified (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) recycled plastic on a mass balance basis. Soft plastic is returned by consumers to and collected by Tesco stores for conversion by Plastic Energy into an optimal oil feedstock. This is combined with virgin material by Sabic to produce an alternative feedstock to manufacture recycled, food-contact approved plastic pellets.

These are sent to the ISCC-certified Berry Global site in Bremervörde, Germany, for manufacturing into new Heinz Beanz Snap Pots after extensive trials led by Sabic, Berry Global, and KraftHeinz to select the correct polymer compositions to achieve the challenging technical requirements. After use, the Heinz Snap Pots can be recycled through kerbside collection.

“We’re delighted that Heinz Snap Pots continue to inspire our peers in the packaging industry, just as they’ve captured the imaginations of millions of consumers,” said Matthias Michaelis, Key Account Director of Berry Global. “This latest award win reinforces the importance of working together across the supply chain to focus on improving sustainability while maintaining the excellent properties of the original pack concept.”