Huhtamaki India Bags 4 IFCA Star Awards 2022

The recognition further reinstates the brand’s commitment towards innovation and customer convenience

National, September 15, 2022:Huhtamaki India Limited, a leading provider of primary consumer packaging and labelling solutions in India – and part of Huhtamaki, a key global provider of sustainable packaging solutions based in Finland recently won four awards at the prestigious IFCA STAR Awards 2022, organized by the Indian Flexible Packaging and Folding Carton Association. This is a second consecutive win for the company to receive the awards. The IFCA STAR Award recognizes creativity and continuous improvement in packaging. The award honours packaging innovations designed by various Flexible Packaging and Carton Packaging industries.

Huhtamaki’s flexible solutions were awarded in the category of innovation-Enviro products which include biodegradable barrier PE pouches and paper-based soap wrappers; and innovations and creativity for the products – insulator pouch for online food deliveries and soft thermoformable lidding for wine/juice cups. Huhtamaki’s winning entries are focused on enhancing packaging functionality, creativity and end-user experience with technical excellence.

Here’s a note on the winning entries:

Biodegradable Barrier PE Pouches for Dry Pet Food

This is a PE-based biodegradable stand-up pouch meant for dry pet food packaging. This pack degrades naturally in open-air or a standard terrestrial environment without generating micro plastics. It requires no specific condition to degrade – just moisture, oxygen and sunlight. It comes with a press-to-close zipper that helps maintain freshness between usages. The zipper is biodegradable too. This mono-material biodegradable PE pouch is an efficient and sustainable alternative to existing PET/PE solutions, helping brands and consumers extend shelf-life and care by naturally reducing pack waste everywhere.

Paper-based Soap Wrappers

These paper-based soap wrappers eliminate the usage of conventional PET-based wrappers. It offers brand partners the choice of switching from conventional and non-recyclable materials to PET-free recyclable monolayer structures. Additionally, this solution provides a recycling option with easy paper recovery for repulping. This is not possible with laminated soap wrappers (PET-based). The wrapper is made of FSC-certified paper and has a reliability index of 80%, boosting recyclability and waste reduction.

Insulator Pouch for Online Food Deliveries

This pack is a multipurpose reusable insulator thermal bag for delivering warm and cold foods. Made with high-performance thermal insulation, it maintains the food temperature and quality. It is lined with foam and nylon PE to provide excellent cushioning and protection during transit. It is moisture-resistant/waterproof and is specially designed to maintain heat and prevent cold ambient temperatures from entering. It ensures hot food deliveries to customers, maintaining consistent food quality every time. This tamperproof pouch enables extended shipments and provides high-performance protection for temperature-sensitive foods.

Soft thermoformable Lidding for Wine/Juice Cups   

This is a ready-to-serve, prefilled communion cup with both wafer and juice/wine. It comes with a double peel-able lid. There is an unleavened wafer under the top lid and the second lid covers the grape juice. The cup uses two lidding films—a foil-based primary lid for juice and a PET-based lid to cover the wafer. The lid material is easy to peel off and provides strong coverage against spillage. The lidding material is made of soft thermoforming. Individual wine cum wafer cups are a convenient and hygienic way to distribute communion. Huhtamaki India believes in providing sustainable, innovative solutions that offer ease of use too. The products are designed to ensure hygiene, safety and minimum wastage. The company is committed to achieving carbon-neutral production with its entire range of products becoming recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2030.

Speaking about the awards, Dhananjay Salunkhe, Managing Director, Huhtamaki India, said, “We are committed to providing reliable, responsible and innovative packaging solutions to brands at all times. Our aim is to offer effective and innovative packaging solutions in India in conjunction with our partners to help drive towards a circular economy. These awards are not just recognition of our efforts in this direction but also an acknowledgment that Huhtamaki delivers innovative solutions to help unlock value for our customers.”

Speaking about the recognition, Ashwini Kumar Singh, Head of Innovation & Product Development, Huhtamaki India, expressed, “Huhtamaki India believes in keeping customer convenience at the core of its products and solutions. We synergize with our consumers by creating sustainable and flexible packaging solutions with a strong focus on innovation. We are delighted to receive this industry accolade and hope that we continue to make our customers proud.”

The company recently received a silver award for its product innovation for its technical excellence, sustainability performance, and enhanced consumer experiences by DOW Packaging Innovation Awards 2021. Prior to this, Huhtamaki India was also felicitated by the Economic Times Polymer Excellence Award for “Excellence in Packaging”. The brand also won two awards at the 5th edition of the SIES School of Packaging (SOP) Star Awards 2021 in a similar category.

Find out more about how the company protects food, people and the planet here