We have partnered with seafood producer Tassal to make the season more sustainable with new locally-made cardboard boxes for prawns.
Fresh Australian prawns are a much-loved part of the season’s celebrations. Traditionally, prawns have been packaged in expanded polystyrene (EPS) containers, commonly known as Styrofoam. EPS is difficult to recycle and has a significant environmental impact when littered. The new boxes—made from up to 74% recycled content—replace hard-to-recycle EPS containers.
An estimated 100,000 EPS boxes are used every year to transport prawns to major retailers, seafood markets and wholesalers. The boxes are being made at our Carole Park site in Ipswich, Queensland before being backed with fresh prawns at Proserpine. Sustainability and food safety go hand in hand, said Visy’s Executive General Manager for Fibre Packaging, Adrian Dalgleish.
“By working closely with Tassal, we have created a purpose-built box which maintains temperature and structural integrity when exposed to water—ensuring Australians get fresh prawns without the waste.” “By manufacturing cardboard recyclable boxes locally we’re keeping manufacturing jobs in Australia.”
“Having the most extensive network of corrugated box plants in Australia ensures we are close to customers and can respond to their needs quickly.” Tassal General Manager Marketing and Innovation Libby Williams said Tassal prawns are a much-loved part of Aussie summers.
“Our new 10kg cardboard prawn box is a win for the industry and the environment. By partnering with Visy we’re able to utilize recyclable cardboard while maintaining freshness and quality so consumers can be assured that the path their favorite prawns take this summer are in a sustainable package vs EPS boxes previously,” she said.
We have worked with Tassal to produce the new cardboard box for prawns. Together, we have run market trials to ensure the box meets rigorous quality standards