Italy’s Gruppo Colussi has introduced 100% compostable packaging for its Pasta Agnesi brand.
The material is made with Mater-Bi, a bio-based plastic developed by five Italian companies – Novamont, Saes, Sacchital, TicinoPlast and Ima – with a scientific contribution from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo.
The new packaging also includes paper from sustainable forestry, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
The new pasta packaging, disposed of through organic waste, can be transformed into fertiliser after an industrial composting process.
According to the European Environment Agency, only 1% of plastic wrappers globally come from vegetable materials and are compostable.
Sustainable Packaging
With the introduction of the new compostable packaging, the percentage of sustainable packaging used by Gruppo Colussi rises to over 90%, and the move will eliminate about 852 tonnes of plastics from its operations.
According to president Angelo Colussi, the company aims to increase the amount of compostable packaging and also ensure the quality and freshness of its products.
Gruppo Colussi will only use wheat from a 100% Italian supply chain for both semolina and egg pasta, thus guaranteeing wheat traceability, Italian provenance, and ethical production, thanks to contracts established with farmers.
Since 2018, the company has been using only 100% Italian durum wheat.
The company also recently opened a new production line at its Fossano plant near Cuneo.
This is Gruppo Colussi's latest commitment to sustainability, after recently launching compostable and eco-sustainable wrappers for many products under its Misura healthy food brand.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
