GUTFRIED ORGANIC CHICKEN MEAT SAUSAGE IN INNOVATIVE PACKAGING
- Through strong collaboration, Zur Mühlen Group (Gutfried), BASF, SABIC and SÜDPACK are breaking new ground in packaging.
Sustainably produced meat products in sustainable packaging: The new product line of the poultry sausage brand Gutfried by the Zur Mühlen Gruppe (Gutfried) is not only "organic", its packaging is also sustainable and was produced using recycled plastic.
This innovative plastic packaging has now been presented by the participating companies Zur Mühlen Gruppe (Gutfried), BASF, SABIC and SÜDPACK. The special thing: Around two-thirds of the raw materials used for the packaging come from plastic waste, which is thus reconverted into valuable raw materials. In this way, the collaboration partners want to make a contribution to reducing waste volumes and conserving valuable resources.
During the chemical recycling process of mixed plastic waste, the used plastic is converted into pyrolysis oil in a high-temperature process. Like fossil based raw materials, this oil is then used at the beginning of the chemical production chain, thus saving conventional crude oil. The recycled content is allocated to the chemical end products via a mass balance method. The products thus have the same high quality and performance as new products.
The bottom film and top film of the packaging each consist of several layers of different polymers and are produced by the film producer SÜDPACK. BASF supplies the necessary polyamide, SABIC supplies the polyethylene. Both components are based on raw materials that have been recycled chemically from mixed plastic waste which was not possible before.
"The innovative packaging based on recycled raw materials is a perfect match for our new Gutfried organic chicken meat sausage," says Maximilian Tönnies, Managing Director of the Zur Mühlen Gruppe. This group also includes the Zur Mühlen Gruppe with its Gutfried sausage brand. "Our customers increasingly value sustainability. This of course applies to the production of our products, but also to aspects such as packaging". The new product therefore not only stands for enjoyment without regrets, but also for less plastic waste and the careful use of limited resources.
"More than a year ago, SABIC already took a big step forward with the chemically recycled products from the TRUCIRCLE™ portfolio to close the waste cycle of plastics", says Mark Vester, global circular economy lead at SABIC. Christoph Gahn, responsible for BASF's polyamide business in Europe, adds: "Plastic products made of chemically recycled material can be recycled again after use without impacting the quality".
High quality and food-conformity of the material are crucial when used in food packaging. "If the material and thus the oxygen barrier fails, the packaged product would no longer be optimally protected and in the worst case could spoil early," explains Carolin Grimbacher, managing partner and head of research and development at SÜDPACK. Product safety is therefore top priority, especially with sensitive foods such as meat.
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About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 117,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2019. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.
About SABIC
SABIC is a global leader in diversified chemicals headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We manufacture on a global scale in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, making distinctly different kinds of products: chemicals, commodity and high performance plastics, agri-nutrients and metals. We support our customers by identifying and developing opportunities in key end markets such as construction, medical devices, packaging, agri-nutrients, electrical and electronics, transportation and clean energy. SABIC recorded a net profit of US$ 1.5 billion in 2019. Sales revenues for 2019 totaled US$ 37.3 billion while total assets stood at US$ 82.6 billion. Production in 2019 was 72.6 million metric tons.
SABIC has more than 33,000 employees worldwide and operates in around 50 countries. Fostering innovation and a spirit of ingenuity, we have 12,540 global patent filings, and have significant research resources with innovation hubs in five key geographies – USA, Europe, Middle East, South Asia and North Asia.
SÜDPACK in brief
The SÜDPACK Packaging Group is based in Ochsenhausen, Germany. Founded in 1964 by Alfred Remmele, the family-managed business has some 1,500 employees and operates 18 sales offices and six production sites in Germany, France, Poland, Switzerland and the United States. SÜDPACK specializes in lid films, rigid/flexible films and bags. Films are printed using flexographic, gravure and digital printing processes. SÜDPACK Medica manufactures sterile packaging for the medical industry under clean room conditions. Further information about SÜDPACK is available on the Internet: www.suedpack.com.
About Zur Mühlen Gruppe
The Zur Mühlen Group with its headquarter in Böklund is the leading company in the meat and sausage industry in Europe. In Germany, the group is No. 1 in the self-service sausage and canned sausage market. With over 4,000 employees, the zur Mühlen Group produces more than 2 billion consumer packages annually. Among the company group’s brand portfolio are popular sausage brands such as Gutfried, Böklunder and Zimbo.
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