Nomadic Dairy goes its own way with Greiner Packaging’s K3® solution

In January 2020, Nomadic Dairy launched a unique new packaging format for its Yogurt & Oat Clusters brand, combining a thermoformed polypropylene (PP) cup with Greiner Packaging’s K3^® cardboard-plastic pot. We talked to Nomadic Dairy Head of Marketing & Innovation, Tom Price, about how this packaging solution is part of delivering an overall reduction of 240 tonnes of plastic.

“This new packaging was a project two years in the planning, as we worked with Greiner Packaging at their factory in Dungannon, to identify a solution for our unique pack format which could reduce our plastic use and be easier to recycle,” said Tom Price.

“Before developing the new pack, we conducted focus group research to establish shopper attitudes to the look and usability of the new format. We wanted something that stayed true to our unique shape on shelf, was easy for shoppers to decode the product and that they could handle comfortably to enjoy the product. We found that the K3^® met all those objectives and scored higher than the pack we had at the time.”

The new environmentally-friendly packaging solution sees the Yogurt & Oat Cluster pots clip together, replacing the previous plastic wrap. The new shelf-ready packaging is made from 100% recycled plastic, and the top section features a removable cardboard sleeve. The foil tops on the pots are now completely recyclable as they no longer feature a plastic substrate. In an industry first, the previous plastic spoon has been replaced with a new 100% compostable FSC^® (Forest Stewardship Council) certified wooded spoon which has a natural food grade lacquer for a smoother finish.

“Using the Greiner Packaging’s K3^® cardboard-plastic pot allows Nomadic Dairy to take bigger steps on our journey to be in balance. We make yogurt, the best yogurt you’ll ever taste, and treading more lightly as we do that, in the packaging we use, is a key area. We make a lot of pots, so reducing plastic and making it easier to recycle adds up to a lot for our environmental sustainability mission and for our consumers.”

Nomadic Dairy also invested in new machinery and updated their plant, creating increased capacity to meet current demand and enable future expansion.

One of the advantages of K3^® cardboard-plastic pot is the removable cardboard wrap on the top section of the Yogurt & Oat Clusters pack, which can be easily separated, making it fully recyclable.

“We use the reverse of the K3^® to talk about the packaging changes we’ve made and what that means for the consumer,” said Tom Price. “It’s a great space to use, as it informs the consumer in a way we couldn’t if we were squeezing it on front of pack.”

Using Greiner Packaging’s K3^® packaging solution delivers part of an overall reduction of 240 tonnes of plastic a year, as well as reducing production waste and emissions. But the sustainability journey does not stop there.

Nomadic Dairy is an Origin Green accredited company, a standard created by Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board) in 2012, and the worlds' only national food and drink sustainability programme which brings together government, policy and the consumer.

“We’re working away on our Origin Green plans and clearly Covid-19 brings an evolving shopper and consumer landscape,” said Tom Price. “The biggest waste would be a yogurt that never gets bought, so we continue to focus on making yogurt with a balance of great taste and nourishment. With that in mind we have NPD coming in pots with minimal plastic that meet the new demands of retailers and shoppers alike.”

“As an Origin Green accredited company, our attitude is that of leaders, but our scale probably means we won’t be recognised for it and we’re ok with that. We crack on doing the right things whether anyone notices or not. Our scale certainly means we’ve been able to move quicker than our big competitors and we continue to work with expert suppliers such as Greiner Packaging to introduce innovation that supports sustainability.”