Eat Happy is one of the first suppliers of freshly rolled sushi to go in Germany to introduce paper packaging with a viewing window made from plant cellulose. The new packaging is 100 percent recyclable in waste paper. The switch to a fully recyclable packaging solution in Eat Happy stores and chests will take place across Germany for the entire sushi range by October 2023.
With the introduction, Eat Happy is banning plastic sushi boxes from the stores where sushi is freshly prepared and packaged every day. By introducing the solution, which was developed with the help of packaging specialist DS Smith, the company will save more than 1,250 tons of plastic and around 3,000 tons of CO2 per year if implemented across the board based on packaging consumption in 2022.
The high-quality packaging solution meets the high quality requirements of freshly prepared sushi and, thanks to its nature, safely protects the freshly rolled sushi creations from external influences every day. As a result, quality and taste continue to be guaranteed.
The new sushi boxes represent a big and important step for Eat Happy. On the one hand, and in particular, the decision to adopt the new fully recyclable packaging solution is made in order to reduce plastic waste by using natural and recyclable resources and to respond to the increasing demand from retailers and consumers for more sustainable packaging. On the other hand, the new packaging solution also takes into account the EU regulation to avoid single-use plastic. Since the beginning of the year, Eat Happy has already been offering customers the opportunity to have their own reusable box filled with freshly rolled sushi at the store. This option will continue to be available, and other reusable solutions are being investigated.
New sushi packaging can be 100 percent recycled
The innovative packaging solution is characterized by its material functionality and intuitive design. In a variety of sizes - from single servings to party platters - the sushi rolls are presented in Eat Happy's fresh look through a viewing window made of plant cellulose. Both the tray and the lid of the newly designed packaging are made of refined corrugated board and thus from renewable raw materials.
The packaging with viewing window is disposed of 100 percent in the waste paper or blue garbage can. New corrugated board packaging can be produced again from the recyclable packaging solution by recycling.
High-quality packaging solution for fresh sushi
Together with DS Smith, the leading supplier of sustainable fiber-based packaging, Eat Happy has developed a high-quality packaging solution for fresh sushi: The new packaging is water and grease resistant. The selected materials protect the fresh sushi from external influences. This preserves the quality and taste of the freshly rolled sushi creations. The innovative texture has another advantage: soy sauce, ginger and wasabi can be added to the product in the packaging.
"We have been working for a long time on a new, more sustainable packaging that meets the high demands that our products bring. With the help of DS Smith, we are now finally launching a packaging solution that ensures this," explains Florian Bell, CEO of Eat Happy Group. "We have invested significantly in the development and future use of our new packaging. On the one hand, this is our response to the increasing demand from our retail partners and customers for more environmentally friendly packaging. On the other hand, it allows us as a company to contribute to protecting the climate and the environment. The step towards a high-quality, fully recyclable packaging solution made from natural, renewable resources is therefore particularly important to us. The consulting process with the DS Smith team was partnership-based and goal-oriented. Together, we managed to overcome the major challenges that freshly rolled sushi presents us with."
For DS Smith, the development of the packaging solution for Eat Happy plays an important role: "The fresh food segment is one of the future growth markets that always presents us with exciting tasks," says Volker Quaas, Head of Design & Innovation Germany & Switzerland at DS Smith. "DS Smith offers an extensive product portfolio of sustainable packaging solutions for direct or indirect food contact for a wide variety of food types, whether fresh, chilled, frozen, fatty or other. The biggest challenge for us in this case was that freshly prepared sushi is a very complex product and is in direct contact with the packaging during the refrigeration process in the counter. At the same time, the best possible visibility must be ensured through a generous plant-based viewing window. The complete recyclability of the packaging enables comprehensive recycling of the valuable material paper and thus contributes fully to the circular economy."
