Melhoramentos invests R$40 million in a sustainable packaging factory
The food industry's demand for more sustainable packaging is opening space for the development of new technologies. Melhoramentos bets on this trend with Biona, a packaging made from eucalyptus fiber that promises to replace rigid plastics and Styrofoam trays in different applications.
Developed over three years, the technology uses high-performance cellulose combined with a barrier system. The result is a molded pulp packaging capable of withstanding temperatures between -40°C and 220°C, allowing food to be taken directly from the freezer to the conventional oven, microwave or air fryer.
According to the company, the difference lies precisely in the combination of thermal resistance and the absence of plastic in the composition.
"There are other molded pulp packaging on the market, but not with this performance and without plastic", says Carolina Alcoforado, director of Innovation and New Business at Melhoramentos.
The technology is already being used by some companies in the food sector. Among the first customers are SuperFrango and Copacol, which launched lines of seasoned chicken intended for preparation in an air fryer. BRF also started replacing small lasagna packaging with the new solution.
Productive capacity
According to Carolina, installed capacity currently varies between 80 million and 100 million packages per year, with the possibility of expansion.
"Planning has always considered, in addition to the development of a new technology, the guarantee of sufficient scale to keep up with customer growth", he explains.
The project is part of Melhoramentos' verticalization strategy. Owner of certified eucalyptus forests and producer of its own fiber, the company sought to add value to the raw material traditionally used in paper manufacturing.
In addition to sustainability, the objective was to develop a cost-competitive solution for the food industry.
Carolina explains that the fiber used has lower water and energy consumption during production and a lower carbon footprint compared to conventional materials.
Market goes beyond proteins
Although the launch initially took place in the meat and frozen dishes segment, the company is already working on new applications.
Among them are packaging for fruits and vegetables (FLV); chocolates; cookies; ice cream and ready meals.
In the medium term, the strategy also foresees entry into markets such as dairy and cosmetics, which require even higher levels of barriers for product conservation.
Biona's first factory received an investment of approximately R$40 million, with support from Finep.
The unit came into operation in 2024 and is located close to the company's fiber factory, in the interior of Minas Gerais, taking advantage of the integration between forestry and industrial operations.
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Sustainability as a competitive advantage
In addition to the possibility of replacing rigid plastic packaging and Styrofoam trays, the company highlights the accelerated decomposition of the material. According to Melhoramentos, when discarded under suitable home composting conditions, the packaging can decompose in around 75 days.
For the company, however, sustainability is not the only decision-making factor in the industry.
"Innovation needs to combine technical performance, production scale, competitive cost and practicality for the consumer. This is what makes it possible to replace traditional packaging", says the executive.
Source: CNN