Koehler Paper, a developer of speciality paper for the packaging sector, has partnered with Germany-based chocolate manufacturer nucao to launch a new sustainable chocolate packaging solution in the country.
Dubbed Koehler NexPlus Advanced, the flexible packaging paper reportedly boasts impressive barrier properties against mineral oil, oxygen, and grease, making it suitable for a variety of chocolate-coated fruit products.
The paper, claimed to be 100% recyclable, is compatible with both vertical and horizontal packaging machines.
The Koehler Paper team, alongside Koehler Innovation & Technology researchers and developers, has been refining Koehler NexPlus Advanced for horizontal packaging machines.
Koehler Paper flexible packaging paper business development head Alexander Rauer said: “From a technical point of view, this is revolutionary as vertical packaging machines have a very high production speed. Paper needs excellent strength properties to be processed in this way, without being too thick for the machines to handle it.”
The advanced paper solution enables production speeds of up to 600 bars per minute.
The collaborative effort among brand owners, packaging paper manufacturers, printers, and packaging machine manufacturers has significantly accelerated the product’s time to market, according to Koehler Paper.
Koehler NexPlus Advanced will now be used exclusively for nucao’s chocolate bars, which will be among the first to be wrapped in this paper packaging in the German market.
nucao co-founder Mathias Tholey said: “Projects of this kind rely on transparency and knowledge sharing, so we are delighted to have been able to confidently go through this process with Koehler Paper. We have come one step closer to our mission to generate a positive impact on the planet with chocolate thanks to our innovative paper packaging.”