/ins  Fazer is committed to continuing the creation of sustainable solutions for the benefit of people and the environment, and packages have their own role to play in this. In 2018, Fazer and Sulapac kicked off a collaboration project with the aim of researching, developing and testing microplasticfree, compostable packaging solutions for foodstuffs. Fazer is the first company with which Sulapac has engaged in the product development of food packaging. The first output of the collaboration – a box containing Fazer’s traditional handmade pralines – will become available at the end of November.

The need for action to combat climate change, preserve biodiversity and overcome other environmental challenges is becoming increasingly urgent. Fazer focuses on reducing emissions and the amount of food waste, develops more and more sustainable packaging, and increases the use of plant-based ingredients in its products. At the end of November, Fazer will bring to the market a new box containing handmade pralines. The packaging makes use of the Finland-based Sulapac’s material innovation, which is compostable and free of microplastics. The box will be available in the shop of the Fazer Experience Visitor Centre, in Fazer Cafés, Gateau bakery shops and, online, in the Fazer Store.

The product development of the praline box lasted for almost 18 months. Fazer and Sulapac wanted to come up with an end product which is of premium quality and safe to both humans and the environment. The various phases of the product development included tests on the material’s sensory suitability and the product’s shelf life as well as the design and printing of the final concept.

Fazer is actively involved in discussions concerning the recycling and re-use of packaging materials, and also the development of new kinds of environmentally friendly packaging solutions. The food industry cannot do away with packaging altogether: packaging – including plastic packaging, for the time being – will continue to be needed to protect products, ensure the safety of foodstuffs, increase products’ shelf life and ultimately help reduce food waste, and to provide product information to consumers. “Consumers are making increasingly conscious choices when it comes to packaging. Fazer studies and tests new alternatives continuously, and we actively aim to improve the recyclability of packaging materials. We encourage consumers to recycle after the product has been consumed and are therefore renewing the markings concerning sorting on our packages as of the beginning of 2020” says Nathalie Ahlström, Managing Director of Fazer Confectionery and a packaging industry expert.

Sulapac is a young Finnish growth company with a mission to save the world from plastic waste. Sulapac develops recyclable materials and products that are entirely free of microplastics and made from renewable raw materials. Sulapac® is an award-winning material innovation made from wood chips and biodegradable binders. The wood chips are the forest industry’s side streams and come from sustainably managed forests. Fazer participates in the development of Sulapac® into a packaging material that meets the needs of the food industry increasingly effectively. It is also the first food industry company to use this unique innovation in its packaging.

“We’re proud to be furthering our vision in cooperation with Fazer. We need more bold pioneers like Fazer to be able overcome the world’s plastic waste problem,” says Suvi Haimi, Sulapac’s CEO, on the company’s collaboration with Fazer.

Handmade pralines are part of Fazer’s history Fazer has been making chocolate pralines for nearly 120 years. Their production began in the café established by Karl Fazer on Kluuvikatu, Helsinki, in 1894, and moved to the confectionery factory set up on Tehtaankatu as the operations began to grow, in the late 1890s. A hundred years later, in the 1990s, Karl Fazer’s great granddaughter Majlen Fazer hunted down the original praline recipes and started a handmade praline production at the company’s chocolate factory in Vantaa.

Further information:

Package contents: Chocolate pralines, handmade at Fazer’s chocolate factory in Vantaa, Finland Flavours: milk chocolate truffles, dark chocolate truffles, vanilla truffles

Fazer’s media phone line is open Mon–Fri from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., tel. +358 40 668 2998 Email address format: firstname.lastname@fazer.com Liisa Eerola, VP, Communications, Fazer Confectionery & Fazer Finland, tel. +358 44 710 8860

Antti Valtonen, CMO, Sulapac Ltd, tel. +368 40 729 4793

 

Fazer Group

In 1891, the young Karl Fazer opened his first café with a mission to make food with a purpose – and a passion to create moments of joy for all the people around him. It became Northern Magic. Made Real. Today, Fazer is an international family-owned company offering quality bakery, confectionery, biscuit and grain products, plant-based meals, non-dairy products, onthe-go food and drinks as well as food and café services. The Group operates in nine countries and exports to around 40 countries. The success of Fazer has been built on Karl Fazer’s vision, values and fearless creativity: the best product and service quality, beloved brands, the passion of skilful people and responsible ways of working. In 2018, Fazer Group had net sales of EUR 1.6 billion and more than 15,000 employees. Fazer’s operations comply with ethical principles that are based on the Group’s values and the UN Global Compact. Northern Magic. Made Real

 

Sulapac

Sulapac® is a wood-based material innovation, which is a lot like plastic, yet it biodegrades fully leaving no microplastics behind. As a premium material that is safe and circular by design, Sulapac® is the perfect fit for quality driven brands with genuine commitment to sustainability. Plastic product manufacturers can use Sulapac® with their existing machinery making sustainability an easy choice. The company was founded in 2016 by Suvi Haimi and Laura Tirkkonen-Rajasalo and is based in Helsinki, Finland. Sulapac has been ranked one of the 100 hottest startups in Europe by WIRED UK both in 2018 and 2019. Join our mission to save the world from plastic waste!

sulapac.com