Packaging Happenings: Coca-Cola coffee and tea cubes, cup noodle lid innovation, meat transportation packing and more feature in our round-up

Drop it then it's hot: Coca-Cola Japan creates freeze-dried tea and coffee cubes to reduce packaging waste​

Coca-Cola Japan has developed a barley tea, green tea and coffee freeze-dried cube under the 1,2,CUBE brand to bring an innovative, convenient, and environmentally friendly solution to the instant beverage market.

Freeze dried coffee and tea are not novel, although it is not common in Japan. This is Coca-Cola Japan’s first product of its kind.

It is made by extracting tea leaves or coffee beans in a concentrate, which is then frozen and vacuumed. Because no aggressive heat treatment is applied, the original aroma and taste of the ingredients remain in the cubes.

Flipping the lid: Nissin cuts plastic use with new cup noodle packaging innovation​

Nissin is eliminating the use of lid-closing stickers on its cup noodle packaging, replacing it with a new innovation, in a bid to reduce plastic waste.

Previously, the sticker kept the lid shut after hot water was poured into the cup noodle container, however it was made from plastic.

The new double flap lid will offer the same action, with a W shape flap to keep the lid shut. There is no change of the lid material, which is derived from paper.

According to Haruka Aoki, chief of the corporate communication division at Nissin Foods Holdings, this move was aimed at reducing plastic waste.

“In recent years, environmental issues concerning plastic waste have been attracting a great deal of attention. By eliminating the plastic lid-closing sticker used in cup noodles, this initiative aims to reduce the amount of plastic used by 33 tons annually​.”

Mineral water evolution: evian on meeting changing consumer demands and hitting sustainability milestones in Asia​

Premium mineral water giant evian has launched new product formats in response to changing consumer demands in Asia, whilst also launching its first label-free, 100% recyclable bottle in the region to hit sustainability milestones.evian is stepping up its work on sustainability in Asia due to a ‘renewed impetus’ brought on by COVID-19 to tackle environmental issues – and one of its latest initiatives has been the launch of a label-free, 100% recyclable water bottle in the region.

“[This] positions evian as a pioneer in sustainable design solutions, with the bottle made from 100% recycled materials [excepting the cap] and label-free, this acts as a tangible proof of our commitment to becoming a circular brand by 2025," ​evian global brand Vice President Shweta Harit told us.

The firm previously also launched a similar water bottle in other regions such as France and the Middle East, but this is the first time this invention has been brought over to Asia and is part of the firm’s 2025 sustainability strategy.

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‘Tetra Pak’ for meats: Hong Kong’s IXON on shipping fresh meat from US to Asia without the need for cold chain​

Hong Kong-based IXON Food Technology, which has developed advanced sous-vide aseptic packaging (ASAP) to store fresh meat, fish and seafood at room temperature for up to two years, is building a pilot plant in the United States as part of its plans to grow its B2B and D2C channels.

Over the last two years, IXON has worked with more than 25 companies worldwide, including Italian chicken processor Amadori, US meat processors Cargill and Tyson Foods, seafood producer Thai Union, hygiene solution provider Ecolab as well as packaging firm Sealed Air.

Founder, Felix Cheung described IXON as the ‘Tetra Pak’ for solid foods. “We are sort of like Tetra Pak who does aseptic packaging for beverages and milks, but instead, we are doing solid foods, so proteins like meat, fish, seafood​.” The ASAP technology also applies to fruits and vegetables.

Eggs in a tube: Khaisook eyes protein and convenience-seeking consumers with RTE egg white products​

Thailand-based Khaisook, or ‘Happy Egg’, is looking to draw in consumers in search of convenient high-protein foods with its proprietary ready-to-eat egg white products and protein snacks, whilst also making preparations to expand beyond its home ground to other Asian nations.

Khaisook’s flagship product is a tube of ready-to-eat egg whites, offering consumers instant access to egg white protein without the hassle of cracking and preparing eggs or the cleanup that comes along with it.

“The idea is to make things easy and convenient for consumers who are looking for more protein. This applies to general consumers that just want more protein, but we’re also looking at and have worked with places like hospitals for patients who need more protein in their diets, with bodybuilders who want to build muscle and so on, they’re a big target market for us,”​ Khaisook CEO and Managing Director Suntaree Srivanitchapoom told FoodNavigator-Asia​.

“Apart from the convenience of not needing to carry or crack eggs or spend 20 minutes boiling and peeling and then throwing the yolk or doing the associated clean-up, this product also has a longer shelf life whilst still remaining to offer that fresh taste and quality, and we’ve also taken great pains to ensure that the price is affordable for consumers.”​