Solution that keeps the product fresh for consumption for up to 15 days and designed to be inviolable, resistant and hermetic, eliminating leaks and odors, damage and product losses, recently won the ABRE Award in the ‘Strategic – Solutions for Retail and e-commerce’ category. The thermoformed packaging also helps in reducing CO₂ throughout the production process.

The first thermoformed vacuum packaging, rich in polyethylene, developed with Dow’s Phormanto™ technology, for the fresh and refrigerated chicken cuts line of Alliz, the Group’s poultry processing company Zanchetta, was awarded the silver trophy in the ABRE Award for Brazilian Packaging in the ‘Strategic – Solutions for retail and e-commerce’ category. In its 21st edition, the award’s main objective is to elect packaging that stand out as icons of excellence in the Brazilian market.

“Our proposal was to develop optimized and technically recyclable packaging, with zero leaks and odors, from high-performance polyethylene, which allows for portioning of the product. The result generates less waste for the consumer, after all, if adequately disposed of, the material can enter the existing recycling chain after proper sanitation and separation of organic waste”, explains Sabine Rossi, New Markets Development Manager at Dow.

The packaging is also capable of keeping food fresh and ready for consumption for up to 15 days, offering high reliability, hygiene, and safety in a technically recyclable structure. As a result, producers benefit from offering products that stand out on the shelf in sustainable packaging that can contribute to reducing food damage, loss, and waste. The consumer, on the other hand, has a ‘clean hands’ experience, as there is no leakage and smell in the package, in addition to being able to take the packaged product to preparation in portions suitable for their needs. 

For Alliz, from the Zanchetta Group, the disruptive and innovative proposal of Phormanto™ enabled the development of an unprecedented solution for the poultry market. The company has been a national reference in poultry processing technology for over two decades. “Our mission is to be an innovative company, offering sustainable solutions and seeking excellence to offer quality products in order to meet the most demanding markets, customers and end consumers. This partnership with Dow reflects and reinforces this commitment, advancing in packaging design and manufacturing technologies to add value to the entire chain”, says Carlos Augusto Zanchetta, Operations Director at Alliz.  

In addition to fighting food waste, the new packaging developed with Phormanto™ contributes to a 35% reduction in CO2 emissions by optimizing 50% of the materials used in its production when compared to the market reference packaging. Compared to new technologies already implemented in the protein market, the impact reduction is even greater. Another differential of the packaging is in the presentation on the shelf and in its differentiated color, which improves visualization at the POS. In addition, the design allows for clear, objective communication, highlighting important information for the consumer.

For Zanchetta, with the Phormanto™ technology, retailers gain by offering more reliable, fresh, and refrigerated poultry meats, “because the controlled breathability was designed for this protein and, as a result, we have an increase in shelf life of 25% when compared to conventional tray packaging. Consumers gain, as we have seen, a ‘clean hands’ shopping experience and also reduce waste, as the chicken packaged with this solution has a longer shelf life or can also be frozen, adapting to the consumption needs”, emphasizes the executive of Alliz. 

A survey by the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA) reveals that 98.5% of Brazilian households consume some type of animal protein, with chicken meat, accounting for 94%, second only to eggs, with 96% of consumption. “In this scenario, the importance of having an innovative solution in the packaging market to ensure greater product quality is evident, making further progress in the matter of sustainability. This was possible thanks to a collaborative effort with the entire chain, bringing together the machine manufacturer ULMA Packaging, from Plaszom Indústria de Plásticos, a packaging company in the flexible sector, Alliz, from the Zanchetta Group, and Dow. This case reinforces that it is part of our commitment of the circular economy to collaborate in the redesign of technical recyclable packaging applications, allowing clear social and environmental benefits”, Sabine Rossi.