EVANSVILLE, IND. — Berry Global and Peel Plastics Products’ new flexible pet food packaging portfolio recently received a Gold Award for Sustainability in the 2024 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards from the Flexible Packaging Association. 

Developed for Hill’s Pet Nutrition, the packaging uses International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS-certified circular plastic. To create the packaging, Berry and Peel Plastics leveraged ExxonMobil’s Exxtend™ technology to provide advanced recycling benefits. 

According to Berry, the new packaging demonstrates Hill’s Pet Nutrition’s commitment to sustainability, as well as Berry and Peel Plastics’ expertise in manufacturing flexible packaging solutions using circular materials.

“This new pet food flexible packaging portfolio is a perfect example of how collaboration across the value chain can help advance a circular economy,” said Wesley Porter, business development director for Berry Global’s Flexibles Division. “The combination of advanced recycling and downstream supply chain and manufacturing expertise allowed us to deliver a more sustainable flexible packaging solution to the market compared to packaging made with 100% virgin resin.”

According to Berry, advanced recycling technology provides a key benefit to pet food applications. This process aims to capture value from difficult-to-recycle plastics and, unlike other recycling technologies, the resulting polymers can be used in contact-sensitive and food-grade packaging. 

Pet food packaging’s specific organoleptic, barrier and machineability requirements mean that it cannot incorporate a high level of content from mechanically recycled waste. As explained by Berry, certified-circular polymers offer a solution to this problem, allowing processors like Hill’s Pet Nutrition to contribute to a more circular economy. 

“Packaging is an important aspect of how we deliver our products safely to pets around the world,” said Peter Fallat, senior director of global packaging for Hill's Pet Nutrition. “An important step in our packaging sustainability goals is finding technologies to reduce the use of new, virgin plastic. We are delighted for this solution and congratulate Berry Global and Peel Plastic Products on this award.”

Read more about packaging solutions and trends for pet food and treats.