TINE, Norway’s largest dairy group, was experiencing problems with shelf life and off-flavours in its milk, and asked its packaging partner Elopak to develop a milk packaging solution with a better, more environmentally sound light barrier. Elopak studied the entire concept, evaluating various cartonboard materials for their Pure-Pak® carton with a screw-cap.

The material they chose was Korsnäs Liquid, which has a brown reverse side that acts as a natural light barrier. To meet Elopak’s requirements, Korsnäs developed two custom grammages. “Our primary goal in switching materials was to eliminate the off-flavours; we also wanted to improve environmental performance,” says Brian Raastad, Norwegian market unit manager at Elopak. “Korsnäs board with a brown reverse side generates 8g less carbon dioxide (CO2) per pack than the board we were using previously. There is a growing awareness of environmental issues in Norway, and we are always looking for solutions that cut CO2 emissions. When we introduced the new packaging solution, we printed information about the improvement right on the pack.”

Korsnäs cartonboard is coated to ensure a good printing surface. “After a long period of testing and analysing various board alternatives, we ended up with a simple solution offering many advantages,” says Raastad. “They include a more efficient light barrier that eliminates off-flavours, a whiter board surface with better printing properties thanks to the coating, and less environmental impact.”

“Having developed KorsnĠs Liquid for Elopak’s Gable Top packs, Korsnäs can now offer a serious board alternative in the fresh foods segment,” says Mikael Alexandersson, LPB paperboard business manager at Korsnäs. “The fact that Korsnäs succeeded in designing an alternative that provides both quality and environmental benefits gives us a golden opportunity to make something very positive out of this business.”