South Korea’s CJ CheilJedang and Lotte Chemical have entered into a memorandum of understanding to work on new food packaging materials intended to improve ease of use and product protection.

The signing took place at CJ Blossom Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.

Those present included Eric Soegeyanto, head of global packaging at CJ CheilJedang, and Lee Hyun-seop, senior research engineer in basic materials R&D (research and development) at Lotte Chemical.

The two groups plan to develop packaging materials that can be used in both very low-temperature frozen distribution settings and high-heat cooking conditions.

The project will draw on CJ CheilJedang’s food packaging R&D work and Lotte Chemical’s expertise in materials technology.

The companies will cooperate from the initial design stage of the materials.

The aim is to produce packaging that is less likely to be damaged during frozen storage and transport, while also being usable for microwave heating.

The material is being developed with strong thermal and physical characteristics to help safeguard food products and make handling more convenient for consumers.

A CJ CheilJedang official said: "This agreement marks a meaningful starting point for a materials company and a food brand to work together from the early stages of development to create packaging solutions optimised for real-world use.

"We will continue developing innovative packaging materials to deliver safer and more convenient product experiences for consumers."

In 2024, Finnish sustainable fuels developer Neste and Lotte Chemical partnered to provide lower-emission solutions for chemicals and plastics used in industries including packaging. 

Neste provided Neste RE, a raw material for chemicals and plastics that is made from 100% renewable raw sources.