Tray chic: Poultry packaging trumps EPS on sustainability
EVOK trays, produced by packaging firm Cascades, marks the debut of recycled polystyrene foam (XPS) trays in North American stores. Designed for packaging poultry, meat, and seafood, the trays contain 25% recycled material.
Sustainability mission
Elodie Fournier, communications advisor for Exceldor, told FoodProductionDaily use of the trays fits in with the poultry processor’s larger mission to provide retailers and consumers with consistently better, more environmentally friendly products.
“It is important for Exceldor, whose mission is to offer poultry its customers can serve with pride, to make efforts to improve everything that they do, each day and for each choice, including sustainability,” she said.
Fourier said Cascades has been providing Exceldor with product packaging for numerous years. The recycled-content EVOK trays have replaced all of its traditional EPS trays, which also were sourced from Cascades; on-pack messaging alerts consumers to the pack's ecological benefits.
Eco approval
EVOK is one of several Cascades products designed for food firms looking to increase their sustainability profile. The recycled material has received several thumbs-up approvals, including a UL environment claim validation, US Food and Drug Administration support, and Canadian Food Inspection Agency endorsement.
“It was only natural for Exceldor to choose EVOK packaging, and to offer a responsible alternative to our customers," said Isabelle Drouin, Exceldor’s vice president of communications and marketing.
Luc Langevin, president and COO of Cascades Specialty Products Group, said EVOK offers performance as efficient as traditional EPS foam trays, with reduced environmental impact.
“By incorporating 25% recycled polystyrene into our products, we have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, allowing Exceldor, to reduce its environmental footprint," he said.
Langevin added the shift from traditional EPS to EVOK trays means Exceldor will cut its yearly greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 37 metric tons, the equivalent of the annual emissions from 15 compact cars.
